Department for Transport

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications for consent have been refused by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency since 2010.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has not refused any applications for consent to date in relation to Oil Transfer Licences, and has refused 16 applications for consent, since 2010, in relation to Ship-to-Ship Transfers in the Southwold area.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications for consent have been determined by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency since 2010.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has given consent for five Oil Transfer Licences since 2010 and all remain extant. The MCA has made determination on 800 formal applications for Ship-to-Ship Transfers in the Southwold area since 1 January 2010. Of these, the MCA gave consent on 686 occasions, some of which were caveated; the MCA has refused 16 and the applicant or their clients have cancelled 98.

Space Technology

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government plans to take to mitigate the costs of and time taken for International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) applications related to the UK spaceport in order to facilitate investment and involvement from the US; and what steps the Government is taking to work with the US to ensure that ITAR is applied in a way that precludes a need for multiple applications to be made for discrete systems and single vehicle types.

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to issue further requirements for a UK spaceport after the second round of consideration of locations is completed.

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how soon after publication of the requirements for the second round of consideration of locations for a UK spaceport the Government expects to be able to announce the selected location.

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to issue requirements for the second round of consideration of locations for a UK spaceport.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The 2014 Government Spaceplane Review provided the groundwork for enabling spaceplane operations from the UK, including identifying key criteria for locating a UK spaceport, and identifying potential locations based on these. The Government tested the conclusions of this review through consultation and published its response in March 2015. This confirmed Campbeltown, Glasgow Prestwick and Stornoway in Scotland, Llanbedr Airfield in Wales and Newquay in England as potential spaceport locations. Further information on the Spaceplane review and the Government consultation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria Commercial spaceflight is a complex, international, and evolving market. The Government is considering a range of options on next steps that would best deliver our ambition of a spaceport, and the supporting regulatory environment for spaceflight, within this Parliament. The Government is in discussion with the US Government on ITAR-related issues. However, ITAR applications are not a factor at this stage for potential spaceport locations but may become so if a US spaceplane operator seeks to operate from the UK.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications for consent determined by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have required appropriate assessment of their effect on European wildlife sites since 2010.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Since 2010, when the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has determined applications for consent, three Oil Transfer Licence applications have required appropriate assessments to be undertaken in relation to European Sites.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications for consent determined by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have required environmental impact assessment since 2010.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Since 2010, when the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has determined applications for consent, three Oil Transfer Licence applications have required environmental impact assessments.

Driving Tests

Ben Howlett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to improve waiting times at driving test centres in (a) Bristol, (b) Chippenham, (c) Trowbridge and (d) Westbury.

Andrew Jones: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is committed to reducing waiting times at Bristol, Chippenham, Trowbridge and Westbury and all other testing sites, and maintaining them at a lower level than currently seen across the UK, this is a priority for DVSA. DVSA has run several recruitment campaigns during 2015, and continues to do so in 2016. However, due to the critical roles a driving examiner has to play in road safety, the process to recruit the right peopledoes take time. As a result of the campaigns, 139 new examiners have started work with DVSA and it has made offers of employment to another 115 people, who are currently undertaking training or waiting to attend it.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for which activities consent is determined by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The activities for which the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has the delegated authority to consent/refuse are for Oil Transfer Licences within UK ports and harbours and for Ship-to-Ship Transfers within the designated Southwold area off the Suffolk coast.

Driving Tests: Wrexham

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to close the driving test centre in Wrexham.

Andrew Jones: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has no plans to close the driving test centre at Birchall House, Wrexham Technology Park, Wrexham that provides car practical tests. The DVSA currently provides LGV vocational testing at our site at Llay Road, Wrexham. The DVSA is looking to move testing from this site. The site will not be closed until a suitable alternative for the delivery of LGV vocational testing in the Wrexham area has been secured.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether heavy goods vehicles will use access roads in Brondesbury Villas during the construction phase of High Speed 2.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Brondesbury Villas is not identified in the HS2 Phase One Environmental Statement as a construction route for the purposes of the HS2 scheme. However, the Phase One Bill does included powers to enable utility protection and diversion works to be undertaken along Brondesbury Villas associated with the construction of the proposed HS2 running tunnels. The implementation of these utility protection and diversion works may involve the occasional use of HGVs along Brondesbury Villas.

Railways: Compensation

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what amounts have been paid to passengers under the Passenger's Charter and Delay/Repay schemes in 2015-16 to date by each train operating company.

Claire Perry: We do not have confirmed figures for the train operating companies for the year to date. This information is confirmed to the Department at the end of the financial year and will then be published by the Department.

Members: Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he intends to answer the letter dated 20 January 2016 from the Right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr D. Zdravkovic.

Mr Robert Goodwill: My Rt. Hon Friend wrote to the Rt. Hon Member on 3 February 2016.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Social Services: Finance

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will estimate the maximum overall annual amount which could be raised if each local authority imposed the maximum social care levy.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Department estimates that if all local authorities who deliver social care were to choose to use a two per cent precept this would total £393 million in 2016-17. If similar flexibilities were used in full in subsequent years, this would rise to around £1.8 billion in 2019-20. Local authorities will be required to provide confirmation that the additional revenue has been used for Adult Social Care in addition to confirming the amounts of expenditure in statistical returns. In addition, the Secretary of State will take account of local authorities’ actions when setting referendum principles in future years.

Communities and Local Government: Consultants

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many consultants' contracts were terminated early in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and what the cost of each such termination was in each of those years.

Brandon Lewis: DCLG has not terminated any consultancy contracts early in the past six years.

Temporary Accommodation

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to reduce the number of homeless families with children living in temporary accommodation for longer than the six-week legal limit.

Mr Marcus Jones: In December 2015 we launched a package of measures to combat homelessness. These measures include a £5 million fund for the 25 local authorities facing the greatest pressures in moving people more quickly out of temporary accommodation and into a settled home. This package also included a number of measures on homelessness prevention. Further details can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/radical-package-of-measures-announced-to-tackle-homelessnessThe Department is committed to combating homelessness and from 2017/18 we will also be devolving the current funding for the temporary accommodation management fee, with an additional £10 million for those areas facing the greatest pressures.

Temporary Accommodation

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many children were housed in temporary accommodation for longer than the six-week legal limit in (a) the London Borough of Lambeth, (b) London and (c) England and Wales in each year since 2010-11.

Mr Marcus Jones: We do not collect data on the numbers of children in temporary bed and breakfast style accommodation for longer than 6 weeks.

Social Services: Veterans

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2016 to Question 26311, if he will make additional funding available to local authorities to enable them to fully disregard military compensation payments from financial assessments for social care.

Mr Marcus Jones: As I said in my earlier answer, the Government is considering how these payments to veterans should be treated in the financial assessment for social care charging in future. That consideration is still ongoing and an announcement will be made in due course.

National Insurance

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much the Government plans to provide each local authority to meet the cost of planned changes to national insurance.

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much the Government plans to provide to each local authority to meet the cost of the introduction of the living wage.

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much the Government plans to provide to each local authority to meet the costs of the apprenticeship levy.

Mr Marcus Jones: All new Government policies which impact on local government are assessed for whether they will represent a new burden on local authorities, against the criteria published in the New Burdens guidance. The New Burdens doctrine does not apply to policies which apply the same rules to local authorities and to private sector bodies, such as the apprenticeships levy, the national living wage and changes to national insurance. The guidance is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-burdens-doctrine-guidance-for-government-departments.In setting the future funding settlement for local government at the Spending Review in November 2015, the Government took account of a wide range of factors, including some which fell outside the New Burdens doctrine but nonetheless represented new costs for local authorities such as the apprenticeships levy, the national living wage and changes to national insurance.

Housing: Tenure

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on which local authorities hold information on the tenure of a property from completed council tax registration forms.

Brandon Lewis: The Department does hold information on which local authorities hold information on the tenure of a property from completed council tax registration forms.

Children: Poverty

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department (a) has taken or (b) plans to take to analyse the reasons for the changes in the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index in (i) Enfield, (ii) London and (iii) UK between 2010 and 2015.

Brandon Lewis: The 2015 Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index was published as part of the English Indices of Deprivation and is the best measure of the proportion of all children aged 0 to 15 living in income deprived families. Changes to the methodology, indicators and published guidance were made following a public consultation in late 2014 to inform the 2015 update.

Communities and Local Government: Billing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of his Department's invoices for goods and services supplied by (a) private companies and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are completed on time; and what proportion of the (i) number and (ii) value of contracts between his Department and private companies are held by SMEs.

Brandon Lewis: The proportion of the Department’s invoices for goods and services supplied by private companies and small and medium-sized enterprises cannot be reliably extrapolated from our current payment system as it doesn’t link or split payment performance in this way.As of the last quarter, the Department paid 89% of invoices within 5 days. The Department’s prompt payment data can be accessed via this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dclg-and-pins-prompt-payment-data-2015 Of the Department’s current contracts, 33% are held by small and medium-sized enterprises. The Department’s annual spend on these as a proportion of our overall spend with suppliers is 25.4%.

Housing Estates: Regeneration

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Prime Minister's announcement of 10 January 2016, Prime Minister pledges to transform sink estates, how the figure of £140 million relating to the redevelopment of 100 sink estates was calculated.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer to him on 29 February, PQ 28338. The £140 million loan fund was determined as part of the Spending Review. The new fund will be used to lever in private sector funding to enable estate regeneration, and will be able to be drawn down alongside other supportive Government programmes. Under the right conditions some schemes could be self-financing.

Local Government Finance

Mims Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of guidance issued to councils on budget transparency.

Mr Marcus Jones: DCLG published a plain English guide to open and accountable local government in August 2014. Ultimately it is for local decision makers to decide what information should be recorded and publicly available on the basis of the national rules and for local electors to hold them to account for this.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

India: Political Prisoners

Mary Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on the case of Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa; and if he will raise that case with his counterpart in the Indian government.

Mr Hugo Swire: We are aware of Surat Singh Khalsa’s hunger strike and continue to follow developments. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) discussed human rights with Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the UK in November 2015. Mr Modi assured him that his government in India remains committed to diversity and fundamental freedoms. Mr Modi also met a delegation of UK Sikh leaders during his visit and discussed a range of issues affecting the Sikh community in India. I discussed concerns about minority rights with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh in November 2015 and the British High Commission in India regularly discusses the treatment of minorities, including the Sikh community, with the Indian National Commission for Minorities and with state governments across India. Prime Minister Modi's visit, including his address at Wembley, highlighted the contribution that Sikh and other religious minority communities make to India, and to UK-India relations. Relations between the Sikh community in India and the Indian government are ultimately an internal matter, but we encourage both parties to resolve their differences through dialogue.

Ukraine: Cybercrime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the security implications for the UK and the US of the recent cyber-attack on Ukraine's electricity network.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK has a broad security relationship with the US and we have discussed this issue at both working and senior levels, as part of our regular exchange on security issues. Cyber security is one of our key national security priorities, which we set out in the Strategic Defence and Security review, published last November. The UK takes seriously any attempts to prevent critical infrastructure from delivering essential services to the public, and works closely with international partners, including the US, to protect ourselves from this threat.

Forced Marriage Unit

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much funding and how many full-time equivalent staff have been allocated to the Forced Marriage Unit in (a) each financial year since its foundation and (b) 2015-16 to date; and how many cases have been reported to that unit in each of those years.

James Duddridge: The UK is a world-leader in the fight to stamp out the brutal practice of forced marriage. Our joint Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Forced Marriage Unit leads efforts to combat it both at home and abroad, through their work on policy, outreach, and casework.The Forced Marriage Unit was established in 2005 with six staff, including four FCO staff, a Home Office policy advisor, and an external secondee. The composition and structure has slightly changed over time to reflect the caseload and changing outreach requirements, with the team currently consisting of two joint heads of unit, four caseworkers, and a support officer.Figures on the number of cases reported to the Forced Marriage Unit, via its public helpline and email inbox, are published on GOV.UK on an annual basis and already includes data for 2012-2014. Data for 2015 will be published shortly. Figures for 2005-11 are provided below.Year Total number of cases 2011 1,4682010 1,7352009 1,6822008 1,6182007 2622006 1972005 152

Lebanon: Refugees

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance his Department provides for (a) education, (b) youth services and (c) medical treatment in Palestinian camps in Lebanon.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: In 2015/16 we contributed £33.5 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency General Fund which ensures provision of education and medical treatment for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. We are spending £1.15 million this financial year within the Palestinian camps to support Palestinian youth networks to bolster community stability and resilience to extremism. This includes supporting youth in the development of solutions to community-level problems, civic participation and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and the production of youth-led counter extremist narratives.

Lebanon: Refugees

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is giving to the Lebanese government to create employment in the Palestinian camps in Lebanon.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We continue to encourage the Lebanese Government to ensure better access to employment for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. We support the Government of Lebanon to implement commitments made at the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference in providing access to education and jobs for refugees and host communities. We will continue to advocate for a non-exclusive approach, reaching all vulnerable groups. In addition, we have provided £1.9 million to United Nations Relief and Works Agency this year to support over 1,000 Palestinian youth across Lebanon with vocational and English skills training, as well as apprenticeship and job placement services.

Lebanon: Refugees

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will ensure that any assistance provided to Palestinians in camps in Lebanon is used to encourage reconciliation between Palestine and Israel to take steps towards peace.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The main objective of our support to Palestinians living in camps in Lebanon is to meet their basic human needs, especially food needs. We also support projects aimed at improving governance and life chances for youth and communities.

Lebanon: Refugees

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what use his Department makes of information it collects in Palestinian camps in Lebanon.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Information and analysis pertaining to Lebanon and the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon is used by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to inform policy-making and programme work.

Jordan: Refugees

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government has given to the Jordanian government to assist with the refugee situation in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK has contributed £330 million to support stability in Jordan since the start of the Syria crisis, £193 million of which has gone towards support for refugees and host communities. We are committed to continuing our support. On 4 February the UK co-hosted the ‘Supporting Syria and the Region 2016’ conference which secured over $11billion in pledges from the international community for Syria’s neighbours. Jordan agreed a Compact at the conference which will see them receiving new funding, concessional finance, and support to increase investment in return for providing refugees with access to work and education. The UK will be at the forefront of work to deliver this plan.

Jordan: Christianity

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Open Doors World Watch List on the persecution of Christians, what discussions his Department has had with the Jordanian government on ensuring that Christians in that country are not persecuted.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We have had discussions with the Jordanian Government on the status of Christians and other religions in Jordan. The Jordanian Government and His Majesty King Abdullah II are explicit about the need for religious tolerance, as demonstrated by King Abdullah’s 22 December 2015 message to the nation on the occasion of Christmas and the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed.

Saudi Arabia: Religious Freedom

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Saudi Arabian government on the role of religious police in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We have not recently discussed the role of the religious police in Saudi Arabia with the Saudi Government.

Lebanon: Refugees

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government has provided to the Lebanese government for vetting and security checking refugees entering that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK has contributed £34 million to support the Lebanese Armed Forces' ability to defend the border and contain spillover from the Syria conflict. The UK funded Land Border Regiments are successfully protecting the integrity of the Lebanese border for the first time in the country’s history. We are also considering what further support we can offer either bilaterally or through the EU to better support Lebanese security forces with border management.

UK Membership of EU

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2016 to Question 28406, for what reasons the governments within the EU that support further political integration are not listed in that Answer.

Mr David Lidington: It is for other national governments to explain their own approaches to further European political integration. A government may, for example, be in favour of greater integration in some areas of policy but not in others. As I said in my responses to PQ 27033 and 28406, there is clearly support in some governments within the European Union for further political integration, but there are other, more sceptical voices too. The Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, on 18 and 19 February 2016, makes clear that the Treaty references to an ‘ever closer union’ are “compatible with different paths of integration and do not compel all Member States to aim for a common destination”.

Northern Ireland Office

UK Membership of EU: Northern Ireland

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on Northern Ireland of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Government has published three papers which explain why the UK, including Northern Ireland, would be stronger, safer and better off remaining as a member of a reformed EU. The papers are available at www.gov.uk/publications.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Money Lenders

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much funding has been allocated to the Illegal Money Lending Units over the next three years.

Nick Boles: A decision on funding allocations for the Illegal Money Lending teams will be taken shortly.

Recruitment: Flexible Working

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to encourage businesses to advertise flexible working arrangements by default in job advertisements.

Nick Boles: Flexible working is now a key aspect of today’s employment landscape with a growing number of employees taking advantage of flexible working – either through an informal arrangement with their employer or through the statutory Right to Request Flexible Working. This was extended to all employees with 26 weeks qualifying service in June 2014 and at the same time it was made easier for employers to consider requests for flexible working. At the time this change was introduced, employers were encouraged to use the strapline “Happy to Talk Flexible Working” when advertising jobs. The Right to Request was promoted in various ways, including a conference for employers which explained the benefits of flexible working and provided practical tips and as part of the GREAT campaign.

Minimum Wage

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the amount of financial penalties was for non-compliance with national minimum wage (a) imposed on and (b) paid by each of the 92 employers who were named and shamed by his Department for such non-compliance on 5 February 2015.

Nick Boles: We do not publish details of penalties in individual cases. The employers named in the February 5th round were issued with a combined total of over £629,000 in penalties. To date, 84 of the 92 employers have paid penalties. The remaining 8 are being pursued by HM Revenue and Customs compliance officers.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Video Conferencing

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what investment his Department has made in video-conferencing facilities in each of the last five years.

Joseph Johnson: My Department has a total of 45 extant video conferencing facilities in place in 12 of its locations in England, Scotland and Wales. The investment costs of those facilities are as detailed below: 20112012201320142015Total for 5 yearsInvestment costs £599,144£213,752£82,887£85,821£981,604

Members: Correspondence

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to reply to the letter of 18 January 2016 from the hon. Member for North East Fife on the Royal Mail's dismissal of David Mitchell.

Nick Boles: I replied to the hon. Member on 4 March.

Waste Management: EU Action

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations were made by the Minister of State for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise at the Pre Competitiveness Council on 29 February 2016, on the EC Circular Economy package.

Anna Soubry: My noble Friend Baroness Neville-Rolfe represented the UK at the meeting of the Competitiveness Council on 29th February 2016. In the discussions on the Circular Economy Package, the UK supported the ambition behind the Circular Economy Action Plan and stressed that action should be prioritised to ensure ambitious use of voluntary approaches and measures to improve the coherence between existing EU legislation and initiatives.

UK Membership of EU

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) level of tariffs which UK businesses would operate in the event of the UK leaving the EU and negotiating a free trade deal with the EU equivalent to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade agreement between the EU and Canada and (b) costs of customs checks and rules of origin requirements for UK businesses in the event of the UK leaving the EU; and what the annual value to the UK economy is of the EU's trade agreements with third parties.

Anna Soubry: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universities: EU Grants and Loans

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much funding UK universities have been allocated under (a) the EU's 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development, (b) Horizon 2020 and (c) the Erasmus programme; and what estimate of the future level of EU funding to UK universities his Department has made.

Joseph Johnson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for International Development

UK Membership of EU: Referendums

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on the UK's international development capabilities of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Nick Hurd: At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government's position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

Overseas Aid

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations her Department has made to the OECD on changing the definition of Official Development Assistance.

Justine Greening: The UK has been at the forefront of work to reform the ODA system which was originally established over 40 years ago.As a member of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), the UK engaged fully at official and ministerial level in the process to bring about an agreement for a definition change.The changes were agreed at a High Level Meeting (18-19 February 2016) of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which concluded a 4-year process to update the rules on ODA.

Overseas Aid

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of Official Development Assistance (a) was allocated over the last five years and (b) will be allocated in each of the next five years to conflict and security.

Justine Greening: All ODA spending is allocated to either directly or indirectly improve stability and reduce the incidence of conflict and insecurity in the recipient country or region.

Conflict, Stability and Security Fund

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the budget of the Conflict Security and Stability Fund will come from her Department in each year up to 2020.

Justine Greening: The budget of the Conflict Security and Stability Fund is allocated by HMT.

Fiji: Overseas Aid

Tommy Sheppard: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department plans to spend on emergency aid relief in Fiji in response to the recent cyclone in that country.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK is assisting Fiji in response to Tropical Cyclone Winston. We are contributing technical support to strengthen United Nations Children’s Fund capacity with water, sanitation and hygiene coordination and are ready to consider further requests for humanitarian experts should it be required. DFID has also offered to provide support to the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Co-ordinations team and will remain in contact with Agencies in the region.The UK is also funding MapAction, a UK-based NGO. Two of their volunteers have now deployed to Fiji to provide GIS and Mapping capability. The UK also makes core contributions to the UN Agencies, the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department and the Red Cross, all of whom are contributing to the response. Stephen O'Brien, Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has recently announced US $8 million for Fiji from the Central Emergency Response Fund, to which the UK is biggest contributor, having donated in excess of $855m in the last 10 years.

Israel: Palestinians

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which of the (a) 108 structures funded by the EU or its member states in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and demolished by the Israeli authorities in 2015 and (b) 104 such structures demolished in the first six weeks of 2016 have been funded by her Department (i) directly and (ii) indirectly.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK contributes to the EU budget as a whole, not individual instruments within it. The UK’s share on EU expenditure in EU instruments is approximately 14.5%.

Department for Education

Gujarati language: Education

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2016 to Question 20756, whether a response from the Chief Regulator of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation has been received by her Department; and when that response will be placed in the Library.

Nick Gibb: Holding answer received on 03 February 2016



Glenys Stacey, Chief Regulator of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), has written to the Hon Member in response to written question 20756. This letter, dated 24 February 2016, is attached and will be placed in the Library.

Teachers: Training

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that the supply of newly-qualified teachers is not affected by imbalances in the distribution of teacher training places at a sub-regional level.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has changed the approach to initial teacher training (ITT) allocations for the 2016 to 2017 academic year. The National College for Teaching and Leadership are not allocating a specific number of places to individual organisations for postgraduate ITT courses due to start in the 2016 to 2017 academic year. Instead, eligible schools, school-centred initial teacher training providers (SCITTs) and higher education institutions (HEIs) will be able to recruit as many trainees as they feel they need (subject to a limited number of controls), until the overall system has recruited a sufficient number.As School Direct and SCITT partnerships cover large geographical areas, we are monitoring recruitment at a regional level only. To date, the only challenge in geographical distribution of ITT places has been found in the London region in recruitment to primary, which was recruiting slower than other regions. In this case we have allowed school led routes (i.e. School Direct (tuition fee) and SCITTs) in this region to continue to recruit to primary courses to ensure that enough trainees are recruited.We are prepared to use reserve recruitment controls in other subjects, or for other regions as required.

Schools: Disability

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost of including data by type of disability in the school census.

Edward Timpson: No estimate has been made of the cost of including data by type of disability in the school census. The Department is exploring if there are other ways of capturing details of pupils’ disability.

Special Educational Needs

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to monitor local authority spending in 2016-17 on specialist education services for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Edward Timpson: Local authorities’ (LAs) spending on education and children’s social care is monitored on a twice yearly basis. LAs are required under Section 251 (S251) of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, to submit their planned (budget) and actual (outturn) expenditure to the Secretary of State, which includes spending in support of children with special educational needs and disabilities. The data collection began in early March 2016 for the 2016-17 budget statements, and the 2015-16 outturn statements are due to start being collected in early July 2016, with the 2016-17 outturn collection beginning in July 2017.The department publishes the data from these S251 financial collections on the GOV.UK website, usually in the following September for budget and in the following December for outturn. The department also requires LAs to provide us with an annual assurance statement from the Chief Finance Officer that confirms the funding given for the purpose of education has been spent in line with the regulations.

STEM Subjects: Females

Ben Howlett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to secure the appropriate data to monitor the progress of programmes which encourage the uptake of STEM subjects by girls.

Nick Gibb: The Government funds a number of programmes which encourage the uptake of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects by girls. We monitor the progress of these programmes against their key performance indicators through regular reports and by evaluating their impact.In 2014 the Government published for the first time data showing the proportion of girls and boys studying A levels in science and maths at each post-16 institution, and in 2016 time series data of students entered for mathematics and science A level subjects by number of subjects and gender. Both sets of data will continue to be published on an annual basis.

Special Educational Needs

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional funding for 2016-17 her Department has allocated to (a) Ofsted and (b) the Care Quality Commission to support their inspection of the effectiveness of local areas in fulfilling their new special educational needs and disabilities duties.

Edward Timpson: For the financial year 2016-17, the department has allocated £1,057,675 of funding to Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission, in order to meet the costs of their inspections of local areas’ effectiveness in fulfilling their new special educational needs and disabilities duties.

Children: Disability

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2016 to Question 25802, what the source of the data is on outcomes achieved by disabled children that her Department will use.

Edward Timpson: The source of the data published in the statistical first release Level 2 and 3 attainment by young people aged 19 is matched data from the Schools Census, Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data and information provided by awarding bodies. Any other data that is subsequently published will also use these data sources.

Children: Disability

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2016 to Question 25802, for what reasons her Department does not provide SEN or disability breakdowns in the revised A-level and other level 3 results in England statistical first release.

Edward Timpson: At present, this statistical first release only publishes data for A level and other Level 3 qualifications. Overall, the number of pupils with SEN and disabilities taking qualifications at this level is limited. Therefore, we have not deemed it appropriate to publish separate breakdowns for these groups given the small numbers involved. We will review this decision for future publications.

Children in Care: Missing Persons

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) looked after children went missing and (b) incidents there were of looked after children going missing from their placement there were for each (i) type of placement and (ii) age of child in each of the last five years; and whether each such child who went missing was in a distant placement.

Edward Timpson: Figures on the number of children who had a missing incident in the year ending 31 March 2015, and the number of incidents by placement type and age, are attached. Data for earlier years was only collected for children who were missing for a period of at least 24 hours. Information on the distance of the placement from which a looked after child went missing is not readily available.



28975 - attachments
(Excel SpreadSheet, 21.91 KB)

Children in Care: Housing

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department takes to monitor the compliance of local authorities with their statutory duty to secure sufficient accommodation for looked-after children.

Edward Timpson: Local authorities are required, so far as reasonably practicable, to secure sufficient accommodation within the authority’s area to meet the needs of looked after and vulnerable children. Statutory guidance to help local authorities meet this duty was issued in 2010.Local authorities’ compliance with the “sufficiency duty” is considered as part of Ofsted inspection. In order for a local authority’s overall effectiveness to be judged as good, they must demonstrate a clear strategy for commissioning and developing services and that there are sufficient resources to meet the needs of local children. Ensuring sufficient placements and services for looked after children also forms part of Ofsted’s judgement of local authorities’ leadership and management.Further details of the Ofsted inspection framework are available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspecting-local-authority-childrens-services-framework

Pre-school Education: Greater London

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many local authority maintained nurseries there were in (a) London, (b) Brent, (c) Camden and (d) Hampstead and Kilburn constituency in each year since 2009-10; how many staff were employed in those nurseries in each of those years; and how much funding was allocated to those nurseries in each of those years.

Mr Sam Gyimah: According to data at January each year, the number of local authority maintained nurseries in each area is as follows: Number of Local Authority Maintained Nurseries 201020112012201320142015London Region808180808080Brent Local Authority444444Camden Local Authority111111Hampstead and Kilburn Parliamentary Constituency222222 Local authorities determine the allocations made to different early years providers, including maintained nursery schools. The Early Years Funding Benchmarking Tool provides information at local authority level on their planned funding for different types of early years settings, including maintained nursery schools. This is available for financial year 2015-16 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-benchmarking-toolInformation for 2014-15 is available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20150603151716/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-benchmarking-toolInformation for 2013-14 is available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140321072700/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-benchmarking-toolInformation prior to 2013-14 is not available.Data regarding full-time equivalent and head count number of workforce staff in service in local authority maintained nursery schools in London region, Brent local authority, Camden local authority, Hampstead and Kilburn parliamentary constituency and England, November 2010 to 2014 are recorded in the School Workforce Census. The figures for 2010 to 2014 are available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-workforce

Children: Disadvantaged

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children from the poorest families have not fallen behind their peers when they start school.

Mr Sam Gyimah: We want every child, regardless of birth or background, to fulfil their full potential. Good quality early education can positively affect a child’s later attainment, which is why local authorities in England have a legal duty to ensure all three- and four-year-olds and the most disadvantaged two-year-olds are able to take up a funded early education place free of charge.Each eligible child is entitled to 570 hours of free early learning a year, equivalent to 15 hours a week of early education for 38 weeks per year. Government figures show 99% of four-year-olds and 96% of three-year-olds are accessing free childcare. Survey findings also indicate 70% of disadvantaged two year-olds are taking up the offer.The early years pupil premium, which was introduced in April last year, provides nurseries and schools delivering the early education entitlement for three- and four-year-olds with an extra 53p an hour for each eligible child to help them improve the outcomes of disadvantaged children and close the gap in school readiness between disadvantaged children and their peers.

UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how she plans to respond to the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC); and whether her Department has made an assessment of the submission to the CRC by the Children's Rights Alliance England in their See It, Say It, Change It report, published in July 2015.

Edward Timpson: As part of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, the UK Delegation will attend an oral hearing with the UN Committee in May 2016. Following this, the UN will produce concluding observations, which the UK will consider.The Government welcomes the views of children and young people. Senior officials, including the UK State Party’s delegation, have read and noted the contents of the ‘See It, Say It, Change It’ report and the Minister for Children and Families will meet with the group of young people who produced it to hear more about the issues that concern them.

Association of Independent LSCB Chairs

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department has provided to the Association of Independent Local Safeguarding Children's Board Chairs in each financial year since its establishment.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Department for Education has provided the Association of Independent Local Safeguarding Children Board Chairs with funding totalling £460,000 between September 2012 and March 2016, as follows:Financial yearTotal2012 – 2013£60,0002013 – 2014£180,0002014 – 2015£130,0002015 – 2016£90,000

Schools: Finance

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will commission a technical review of the indicators of deprivation used to decide formulae for funding for (a) schools and (b) free school meals.

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent representations she has received from (a) schools and (b) local authorities on the efficacy of the indicators of deprivation used to calculate formulae for schools.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Children from disadvantaged backgrounds often need extra support at school to achieve as well as their peers. That is why, in addition to providing £2.5 billion this year through the pupil premium - which we have protected at current rates for the duration of the parliament - we also require local authorities to target funding for deprived pupils through their local formula.Under current arrangements local authorities can choose between a pupil-level measure of disadvantage (pupils eligible for free school meals or eligible at any point in the previous 6 years) or an area-level measure of disadvantage (the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index), or a combination. We are aware that the update to the area-level deprivation data last year led to some areas changing their local formulae to mitigate the impact on deprivation funding for their schools.We recently launched the first stage of the consultation on our plans to introduce a national funding formula for schools from 2017. Our proposals would mean schools’ funding is matched fairly and transparently to their needs and their pupils’ characteristics. Through the consultation process we are seeking views on the best way to target funding for disadvantaged pupils to support them to achieve to the best of their ability.

Teachers: Languages

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of foreign language teachers are native speakers.

Nick Gibb: The information requested is not collected by the Department for Education.

Young People: Employment

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to encourage discussions between business leaders and the education sector on improving young people's readiness for work and their future employment prospects.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Government is taking a number of steps to encourage discussions between business leaders and the education sector.We have provided funding for The Careers & Enterprise Company which is increasing the number and quality of links between the education and business sector. The Company’s national network of enterprise advisers is already brokering relationships in 30 LEP areas, working with schools, colleges, employers and careers and enterprise organisations. The Government’s forthcoming careers strategy will set out the additional steps we will take to encourage interaction between business leaders and the education sector to support young people to prepare for working life.My Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister, in his speech on life chances on 11 January, announced £70 million funding over the parliament to transform the quality of the careers education, advice and guidance offered to young people. It will include funding for The Careers & Enterprise Company to continue the excellent work it has begun. It will also include delivery of a campaign to recruit a new generation of mentors to support young people at risk of under-achieving or dropping out, many of who will be business people.We are also planning reforms to technical education which will ensure that the skills system is simple and genuinely owned, understood and valued by employers.

Pre-school Education: Inspections

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect on Ofsted's budget of the expansion of Ofsted's control over early years inspectors.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Ofsted’s budget, like those of all government departments, was considered as part of the spending review in 2015. Their settlement will be published in due course.As Ofsted are an independent non-ministerial government department, it is accountable for its own budget and operational decisions, including how to deploy and contract inspection resources.It would not be appropriate for me to comment on Ofsted’s operational or commercial matters.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Julie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect on disadvantaged students of the Education Funding Agency discontinuing funding for summer school programmes.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The recent Spending Review confirmed that we will protect the pupil premium at its current rates for the duration of this Parliament, so that schools will continue to attract additional funding for their disadvantaged pupils. To achieve this settlement for schools, we have had to make difficult decisions about a number of smaller grants. The grant for the summer schools programme will therefore not continue next financial year. Secondary schools can continue to run a summer school if they wish to, and will be able to use their pupil premium allocation to fund places for their disadvantaged pupils.

Schools: Mental Health

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to promote good mental health among teachers and students.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Good mental health and wellbeing is a key priority for this Government. We have high aspirations for all children and want them to be able to fulfil their potential. Schools should consider how to provide appropriate support to students and staff, along with good teaching to support pupil attainment. We want schools to be able to decide on the best way to do this given their individual circumstances. One of the best ways is as part of a ‘whole-school’ approach. We have taken a range of actions to support them.We have recently revised and updated our counselling guidance which provides practical, evidence-based advice, informed by experts on how to ensure school based counselling services achieve the best outcomes for all students, including vulnerable children and young people. Having this provision in schools also provides support for teaching staff as they are able to easily and quickly get advice from the counsellor about issues that they are concerned about.We have also provided schools with other resources including: guidance and age-appropriate lesson plans on teaching mental health in PSHE; guidance on mental health and behaviour; and MindEd, a free online portal which has been developed to enable all adults working with children and young people learn more about specific mental health problems and how to support them.We are providing opportunities to help young people support each other effectively. We recently launched a suite of peer support activities, which includes a call for evidence for stakeholders, children and young people and funding of up to £1.5m. This includes a new digital innovation fund to develop online reliable, engaging and trusted advice to help young people understand their own and their peers’ mental health.In addition we are contributing to a £3m joint pilot with NHS England which is testing how single points of contact in CAMHS and schools can secure effective mental health support to pupils.We are also working closely with the Department of Health on a national campaign to reduce stigma and raise awareness of mental health issues amongst parents and children, which includes resources for schools.

Schools: Greater London

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the additional (a) salary and (b) other costs which are incurred by schools in London, compared with those outside London; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: On Monday 7 March the Department published our consultation for a national funding formula, which is now open until 17 April. The consultation explains our proposals to use an area cost adjustment to reflect variation in labour market costs, given the significant impact of such costs to school spending. We are currently consulting on which methodology we should use to do this, and will bring forward our response in due course, once the consultation has closed.

Schools: Sexual Offences

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many incidents of indecent exposure have been recorded as having taken place on school sites in each year since 2010.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many sexual offences have been recorded as having taken place on school sites in each year since 2010.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not hold the information requested.

Children: Walking

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Transport on steps to meet the Government's objective to increase the proportion of children walking to school from 46 per cent to 55 per cent.

Nick Gibb: The Department supports the Department for Transport’s target to increase the numbers of pupils walking to school. Local authorities have a duty to promote sustainable school travel and transport, and our statutory guidance on home to school transport states that strategies for encouraging walking should form part of that duty. Departmental officials have recently met the Living Streets Charity to discuss how we can further help local authorities in promoting walking to school and we continue to support and promote initiatives such as Living Streets, Modeshift and Sustrans both by engaging with consultations and through our guidance.The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445407/Home_to_School_Travel_and_Transport_Guidance.pdf

Children's Play

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) strategic local approaches to play, and (b) local authorities submitting regional play strategies to her Department.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Department for Education recognises that play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning.Play is integral in the early years and is covered in the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework which states: “Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity.” The framework can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2The staff working in early years settings as Early Years Educators (level 3) and Early Years Teachers (graduates) are required to have an understanding different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. The criteria for the Early Years Educator and standards for Early Years Teacher Status qualifications are set by the department.Ofsted registers childcare provision on the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register and conducts a regular cycle of inspection to ensure that provision meets the required quality and safety standards.In judging the quality and standards of early years provision, Ofsted inspectors must assess the extent to which the learning and care provided by the setting meets the needs of the range of children who attend, including the needs of any children who have special educational needs or disabilities. At August 2015, 85 per cent of providers on the Early Years Register were rated good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. This is an increase of 11 percentage points since 2012.Local Authorities provide and offer Continuous Professional Development and training to early years settings; some of which may include training on play. However, it is not a requirement for local authorities to deliver regional play training as it is already a requirement in the Early Years Foundation Stage to cover play in a setting.

Schools: Vocational Guidance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, at what age it is her policy that schools should start providing pupils with careers advice.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The government wants to see improvements to the extent and quality of the careers advice, guidance and inspiration that young people receive throughout their education, helping them to be better prepared for the world of work and able to take advantage of the opportunities available to them.Getting the chance to meet a wide range of people doing different jobs is particularly important for those children from disadvantaged backgrounds who have few successful role models, either at home or in their local communities. Tackling gender stereotypes needs to be done from an early age.The duty to secure independent careers guidance applies to pupils in years 8-13, but the government recognises the importance of exposing pupils to the world of work form an early age. That is why the government welcomes programmes, such as Primary Futures, that help to broaden the aspirations of young people from an early age. Primary Futures is a national initiative, led by the Education and Employers Taskforce and the National Association of Head Teachers, which enables volunteers from a wide range of professions to visit primary schools to inspire pupils.

Supply Teachers: Conditions of Employment

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that all supply agencies offer supply teachers' pay and conditions at the same rate as national teachers' pay.

Nick Gibb: Schools and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers which includes deciding whether to use private agencies to recruit and manage them. If a supply teacher is employed by a private agency, this is a private commercial arrangement between the school and the agency, and the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) does not apply. The agency can also decide the rate of pay and conditions of employment.If agencies do not appear to be complying with legislation they can be investigated by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EASI). The EASI is part of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and has powers to investigate agencies for possible breaches of the law and to prosecute them where there is sufficient evidence. The EASI works with agencies, employers and workers to make sure that employment rights are complied with, particularly for vulnerable workers.Conditions for agency workers have been improved through the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) and supply teachers are entitled to the same pay and employment conditions they would be entitled to receive if they were employed directly by a maintained school or academy. This is subject to a qualifying period of 12 continuous calendar weeks working in the same role with the same school or local authority. The Regulations can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employing-agency-supply-teachers

Children's Play

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recommendations in the charity Sense's report entitled, Making the Case for Play, for play to be included as part of the ministerial brief for the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Childcare and Education.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Department for Education recognises that play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning. The importance of play is already recognised within the early years legislation covered by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Childcare and Education’s portfolio.Play is covered in the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework and states: “Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity.” The framework can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2Staff working in early years settings as Early Years Educators (level 3) and Early Years Teachers (graduates) are required to have an understanding of different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. The criteria for the Early Years Educator and standards for Early Years Teacher Status qualifications are set by the department. However, it is the responsibility of early years settings to provide play opportunities for their children and pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.Ofsted registers childcare provision on the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register and conducts a regular cycle of inspection to ensure that provision meets the required quality and safety standards.In judging the quality and standards of early years provision, Ofsted inspectors must assess the extent to which the learning and care provided by the setting meets the needs of the range of children who attend, including the needs of any children who have special educational needs or disabilities. At August 2015, 85 per cent of providers on the Early Years Register were rated good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. This is an increase of 11 percentage points since 2012.

Social Workers: Training

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in which universities the Frontline programme was promoted in (a) 2015 and (b) 2016.

Edward Timpson: Frontline was promoted at the following universities in both 2015 and 2016: Aston, Bath, Birmingham, Belfast, Bristol, Brunel, Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Greenwich, Kings College London, Kingston, Imperial College London, Lancaster, Leeds, Leeds Beckett, Liverpool, London Metropolitan, Loughborough, LSE, Manchester, Middlesex, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Queen Mary, Reading, Sheffield, SOAS, Southampton, Strathclyde, Surrey, St Andrews (not in 2016), UCL, UEA, University of East London, Warwick, Westminster, and York. In 2016, Frontline also visited Belfast, Leeds Beckett, Surrey, and UEA to promote the programme.

Department for Education: Billing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of her Department's invoices for goods and services supplied by (a) private companies and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are completed on time; and what proportion of the (i) number and (ii) value of contracts between her Department and private companies are held by SMEs.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education publishes every quarter the performance data provided by our Shared Service provider relating to the ‘prompt payment’ of invoices which have been paid within 5 day and 30 days. These targets are set by HM Treasury. The information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prompt-payment-data-for-dfe-2015-to-2016-financial-yearThe Department for Education does not currently collect the specific details that relate to contracts with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).The Department reports to the Cabinet Office every quarter on the progress towards the Government target of 33% of procurement spend being with SMEs by the end of Financial Year 2020-2021.For the period 1st April 2015 to 31st December 2015 (Q1 to Q3 2015-16), the Department for Education spent £88.4m with SMEs which was 27.5% of our total procurement spend. This was directly with 306 SME organisations.[1][1] Data from the EFA, Ofsted and Ofqual are not included in reporting to the Cabinet Office.

Schools: Admissions

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many appeals were heard by the Education Funding Agency and Local Government Ombudsman in relation to admissions decisions made by (a) academies, (b) academies which were previously maintained schools and (c) free schools in each year since 2009-10; how many such appeals were upheld; which schools were subject to those appeals; and what proportion of academies and free schools those schools represent.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many appeals were made by civil society organisations to the Education Funding Agency and Local Government Ombudsman in relation to admissions decisions made by (a) academies, (b) academies which were previously maintained schools and (c) free schools in each year since 2009-10.

Edward Timpson: Holding answer received on 05 February 2016






An error has been identified in the written answer given on 09 February 2016.The correct answer should have been:

Parents have the right to complain to an admission authority regarding its decision to refuse admission of a child. The admission authority must establish an independent appeals panel to hear the complaint. On behalf of the Secretary of State, the Education Funding Agency (EFA) will investigate complaints about the appeals process operated by independent appeal panels for academies and free schools.The table below provides information on admission appeals complaints assessed as being in scope for investigation by EFA since April 2012, when it was established. EFA has no record of admission appeal complaints in the last four financial years from any Civil Society Organisations.The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) handles the appeals process operated in respect of maintained schools. The Department does not hold information on the number of admission appeals complaints heard by the LGO. The LGO should hold this information. Financial year 2012-13Financial year 2013-14Financial year 2014-152015-16 Current financial year to datePQ25402 (A) Total number of admission appeal complaints about academies investigated by EFA127163144203PQ25402 (B) Total number of admission appeal complaints about academies which were previously maintained schools investigated by EFA115150130193PQ25402 (C) Total number of admission appeal complaints about free schools investigated by EFANot recorded centrally for this financial year484Total number of admission appeal complaints fully upheld by EFA15132615Name of schools where EFA has investigated an admission appeal complaint subject to appealsSee attachmentSee attachmentSee attachmentSee attachmentTotal appeals complaints investigated, as a proportion of open academies and free schools5% (of 2,796)4% (of 3,874)3% (of 4,881)4% (of 5,447) 



25402 and 25404 attachment
(Excel SpreadSheet, 30.42 KB)

Edward Timpson: Holding answer received on 05 February 2016



Parents have the right to complain to an admission authority regarding its decision to refuse admission of a child. The admission authority must establish an independent appeals panel to hear the complaint. On behalf of the Secretary of State, the Education Funding Agency (EFA) will investigate complaints about the appeals process operated by independent appeal panels for academies and free schools.The table below provides information on admission appeals complaints assessed as being in scope for investigation by EFA since April 2012, when it was established. EFA has no record of admission appeal complaints in the last four financial years from any Civil Society Organisations.The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) handles the appeals process operated in respect of maintained schools. The Department does not hold information on the number of admission appeals complaints heard by the LGO. The LGO should hold this information. Financial year 2012-13Financial year 2013-14Financial year 2014-152015-16 Current financial year to datePQ25402 (A) Total number of admission appeal complaints about academies investigated by EFA127163144203PQ25402 (B) Total number of admission appeal complaints about academies which were previously maintained schools investigated by EFA115150130193PQ25402 (C) Total number of admission appeal complaints about free schools investigated by EFANot recorded centrally for this financial year484Total number of admission appeal complaints fully upheld by EFA15132615Name of schools where EFA has investigated an admission appeal complaint subject to appealsSee attachmentSee attachmentSee attachmentSee attachmentTotal appeals complaints investigated, as a proportion of open academies and free schools5% (of 2,796)4% (of 3,874)3% (of 4,881)4% (of 5,447) 



25402 and 25404 attachment
(Excel SpreadSheet, 30.42 KB)

Ministry of Justice

G4S

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many fines G4S has paid under any contract with his Department in each of the last five years; and for what reasons each such fine was imposed.

Andrew Selous: The Ministry of Justice holds a number of centrally and locally managed contracts with G4S and information on the total financial remedies imposed could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. However, the total for G4S run prisons, Young Offender’s Institutes (YOIs) and secure training centres (STC) were as follows: As I stated in the answer to PQ 22664, there have been two incidents in the last five years in which financial remedies were applied at Medway STC. In both cases, G4S failed to comply with operating procedures. In the same time period, there was one incident for which financial remedies were applied at Rainsbrook STC, for failing to comply with operating procedures. Financial remedies applied to private prisons, including HMP/YOI Parc since 2010 are set out in the attached table. 



Financial Remedies 2010-16
(Excel SpreadSheet, 18.68 KB)

Probate: Fees and Charges

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent increase in probate fees on the number of people who seek to avoid such fees by moving property into joint names to remove the need for a grant of probate.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The Government published a consultation on proposals to reform fees for applications for a grant of probate on 18 February. Alongside the consultation, an impact assessment was published which included a sensitivity analysis that accounted for a range of fee avoidance behaviours. This will be reviewed again in the Government response. The consultation will run for six weeks, closing on 1 April.

Business: Human Rights

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to pages 49-50 of the Survey of the Provision in the UK of Access to Remedies for Victims of Human Rights Harms involving Business Enterprises, by the British Institute for International and Comparative Law, published on 17 July 2015, what assessment he has made of the merits of the report's recommendations to (a) establish a permanent cross-government Business and Human Rights Unit and (b) extend some aspects of UK criminal law legislation to provide access to remedies to victims of human rights abuses by business enterprises overseas.

Dominic Raab: The Government has no plans to establish a permanent cross-government Business and Human Rights Unit; however, departments continue to cooperate as necessary. Victims of overseas human rights abuses by UK businesses can already seek redress through UK courts. We are one of the few jurisdictions in the world where this can happen.

Immigration: Advisory Services

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many immigration advisers were registered with each of the professional bodies approved as registers of immigration advisers in each year since 2009-10; how many complaints the Legal Ombudsman received about immigration advisers registered with each of those bodies in each of those years; in how many of these complaints the Legal Ombudsman found wrongdoing on the part of the adviser; in how many such cases the Legal Ombudsman (i) took action against the adviser and (ii) referred the complaint; and how many immigration advisers were (A) prohibited and (B) suspended as a result of such action.

Dominic Raab: The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives Regulation (CILEx Regulation) and the Bar Standards Board (BSB) each regulate practitioners that can provide immigration advice or services in England and Wales. There is no requirement to separately register as an immigration adviser, and all practising solicitors can deliver immigration services. Every barrister issued with a practising certificate is authorised to carry out immigration advice and services. CILEx Regulation closed its immigration register from 30 April 2004 until October 2014 when a new accreditation scheme was implemented. They currently have 8 registered immigration advisers.  The Legal Ombudsman for England and Wales was set up by the Office for Legal Complaints under the Legal Services Act 2007 to deal with complaints about regulated legal service providers in England and Wales. The number of complaints relating to immigration advice investigated by the Legal Ombudsman since it opened in October 2010 are set out below. October2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/ to end of Feb 2016Immigration cases investigated52284324353390291 The OLC can make a number of recommendations where they find poor service, and can make multiple recommendations in relation to a single complaint. Within the above cases, the following number of recommendations have been made. October2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/16Recommendations made in relation to immigration cases13120127144199162 The Legal Ombudsman makes potential misconduct referrals to the regulators if they suspect an issue with conduct has arisen. It is then for the regulator to investigate the potential misconduct and the Legal Ombudsman takes no part in that aspect of the investigation. For immigration and asylum issues OLC made the following potential misconduct referrals.  2010/112011/122012/32013/142014/152015/16Referrals to regulators for potential misconduct82257437544 The regulators cannot identify where practitioners have been prohibited from practice or suspended as a result of misconduct relating to immigration advice or services without disproportionate cost.

Magistrates' Courts: Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in which circumstances magistrates are required to send cases to the Crown Court in cases in which their sentencing powers would be sufficient to deal with the cases in their court.

Mr Shailesh Vara: There are a range of circumstances which would require magistrates to send cases within their sentencing powers to the Crown Court for trial including those involving indictable-only offences; or where the offence concerned is linked to one or more other offences which must be tried in the Crown Court; or where the defendant elects for a jury trial; or, in youth cases, where the offence involves an adult co-defendant who must be tried in the Crown Court. In accordance with the Allocation Guideline issued by the independent Sentencing Council, magistrates should take account of any potential mitigation and guilty plea, which would bring a case within their jurisdiction. Where they are uncertain about the adequacy of their powers, they should retain a case and commit for sentence if they later take the view that it falls outside their sentencing powers.

Female Genital Mutilation

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders have been (a) applied for and (b) issued by courts since those orders were introduced.

Caroline Dinenage: Statistics on FGM Protection Orders are publicly available as part of the Family Courts Statistics Quarterly series at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-court-statistics-quarterly. The next publication of Family Court Statistics Quarterly is due on 31 March 2016. This will provide data up to the end of December 2015.

Young Offenders: Reoffenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in how many and what proportion of cases 16 and 17 year olds being convicted of committing a second knife offence the perpetrator received the mandatory four month Detention and Training Order since 17 July 2015.

Andrew Selous: Seventeen 16 to 17 year old offenders were found to have committed the offence between 17th July 2015 and 30th September 2015 and sentenced for the possession of a blade, point or an offensive weapon offence who also have one or more previous knife possession offence. Twelve of these offenders received a Detention and Training Order of at least 4 months. Any decisions and assessments taken regarding the minimum mandatory penalty are made solely by the courts. Whilst the 4 month DTO is the minimum custodial term available for 16 to 17 year old offenders, the courts also have the power to set aside the minimum term in the event of a guilty plea and/or if time has been served in custody on remand or on a tag. A decision by the courts to reduce the minimum term will result in a community penalty. These figures are based on information published on 10th December 2015 at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/knife-possession-sentencing-quarterly-brief-july-to-september-2015and will change when the outcomes of cases passing through the criminal justice system become available on the Police National Computer. On average it takes 86 days from charging an offender for a knife possession offence to the offender receiving the court outcome. Data for the next quarter is due to be published on Thursday 10 March.

Dangerous Driving: Convictions

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were convicted of the offence of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in each year since 2012-13; and how many such people were imprisoned for the maximum amount stipulated for the offence.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were convicted of the offence of causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs in each year since 2009-10; and how many such people were imprisoned for the maximum length of time stipulated for that offence.

Dominic Raab: The requested statistics relating to the number of convictions can be found in the table available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/428943/cjs-outcomes-by-offence-data-tool.xls The maximum custodial sentence for the offence of causing serious injury by dangerous driving is 5 years’ imprisonment and for causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs is 14 years’ imprisonment. For the offence of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, since 2012-13, three people have received prison sentences of 4 to 5 years. For the offence of causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink or drugs, since 2009-10 no one has received a custodial sentence of 14 years, but two people received an indeterminate sentence, one in 2009 and one in 2010. We are also considering options for driving offences in the context of the wider sentencing framework, and will consult this year.

Driving under Influence

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the cost of drink driving to the justice system in each of the last three years.

Dominic Raab: The Ministry of Justice has not produced estimates of the cost of the impact of drink driving on the justice system in the last three years.

Intersex: Young People

Ben Howlett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to ensure that young intersex people are included in the Government's review of youth justice.

Andrew Selous: A review of how transgender people – both adults and under-18s – are dealt with by prison and probation services is currently being conducted by the Ministry of Justice. This review includes those who identify as intersex. The findings and recommendations of this review will inform the review of the youth justice system which will report in July.

Personal Injury: Compensation

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress his Department has made on implementing the recommendations of the whiplash reform programme.

Dominic Raab: Further reforms were announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement in November. Those reforms will remove the right to compensation for pain, suffering and loss of amenity from minor whiplash injuries, and reduce legal costs by raising the small claims limit for personal injury claims to £5,000. The government will consult on the detail of these reforms in due course, with a view to implementing them as soon as the necessary legislation is in place.

Personal Injury

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect on court fee income of changes to personal injury law and procedure prior to making his announcement in the 2015 Autumn Statement; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Raab: The government will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

Human Rights

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will respond to the conclusion of the Amnesty International Report 2015-16, the State of the World's Human Rights, relating to the UK.

Dominic Raab: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Hammersmith on 1 March 2016, which can be found at http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-25/28489/

Domestic Violence: Legal Aid Scheme

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government plans to take to review the provision of legal aid to domestic abuse victims as a result of the Court of Appeal judgement of 18 February 2016 quashing restrictions on obtaining such aid in family court cases.

Mr Shailesh Vara: We are pleased the court confirmed that the Lord Chancellor did have the power to set domestic violence evidence requirements. We are now carefully considering the judgment as we decide how best to respond to the court’s concerns.

Ministry of Justice: Billing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of his Department's invoices for goods and services supplied by (a) private companies and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are completed on time; and what proportion of the (i) number and (ii) value of contracts between his Department and private companies are held by SMEs.

Mike Penning: The attached link (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/procurement#our-payment-performance) provides information on the Department’s published data on payment of invoices from 2012-13 to quarter 3 of 2015-16. It is not possible to break the payment data down by category of provider.The proportion and value of contracts held by MoJ with SME providers is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/482524/Central_Government_Direct_and_Indirect_Spend_with_SMEs.csv/preview

Prisons: Education

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to improve education in prisons; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Selous: We want prisons to be places of rigorous education and hard work, As Dame Sally Coates will recommend in her impending report, we want to give control of education in prisoners to governors so they can bring in new providers and hold them to account. That's why we are also protecting the £130m prison education budget in cash terms.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Staff

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the reduction in staff numbers in his Department needed to meet the efficiency and reform savings announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 for the 2015-16 financial year and in each of the next five years.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Chancellor announced on 25 November that DCMS core administration funding will reduce by 20% in real terms over this spending period. This reflects the planned reduction in Broadband Delivery UK administration funding as projects deliver their targets on time, as well as further efficiency savings which will be made across the Department over the Spending Review period.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Radicalism

Steven Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has a communication's strategy to tackle violent extremism.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Counter-Extremism Strategy, published in October last year, set out government's response to the threat posed by extremism. As part of that response, the Department is supporting the Home Office led communications strategy. This includes work with broadcasters and technology companies to counter extremist ideologies, and to disrupt those sharing extremist content in the media and online.

Museums and Galleries: Finance

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding his Department is providing to museums in each region and nation of the UK.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Department does not hold information on museums spending broken down by region or nation. Museums funding is devolved to the respective administrations. The total spend on DCMS-sponsored museums and galleries (including the British Library) was £389.7m in 2014-15. The 2015 Spending Review announced DCMS spend on museums and galleries will be maintained in cash terms.

Arts Council England: Per Capita Costs

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate of spending per capita in each region Arts Council England has made for each year until 2020.

Mr Edward Vaizey: No such estimate can be made as it would require data that is indeterminable.

BBC: Royal Charters

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take in the forthcoming Charter Review to include the BBC within the remit of Freedom of Information legislation.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The BBC is currently subject to the Freedom of Information Act, with some exceptions. This issue is one of many we are looking at as part of Charter Review.

BBC: Royal Charters

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take in the forthcoming Charter Review to ensure that the BBC provides greater value for money.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Value for money is one of many issues we are looking at as part of Charter Review.

Tourism: Battles

Mr Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to promote battlefield tourism in England in the next 12 months.

David Evennett: The Heritage Lottery Fund is able to support projects concerned with historic battlefield landscapes. Over the coming months the Heritage Minister will be visiting several battlefield sites both at home and abroad to commemorate important events such as the Battle of Hastings and to promote battlefield tourism. The Battlefields Trust is on hand to help preserve and promote battlefield heritage across the UK and local authorities may also be able to help promote battlefields.

Cultural Heritage: Battles

Mr Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) protection and (b) funding is available for historic battlefields in (i) England and (ii) Northam in Torridge and West Devon constituency.

David Evennett: Registered battlefields are protected through the planning system under the terms of the National Planning Policy Framework. Historic England maintains the register of historic battlefields on the National Heritage List for England. I am pleased to say the Heritage Lottery Fund are able to support projects concerned with protecting and promoting large landscapes such as a battlefield site. Funding may also be available from the relevant local authority.

Tourism: South West

Mr Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to promote tourism in the south west of England in the last 12 months.

David Evennett: The Prime Minister’s Five Point Plan for Tourism sets out the Government’s commitment to encourage tourists to explore beyond London. According to the Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey, there were 1.9 million inbound visits to the south west of England in the first nine months of 2015 (Jan-Sep); up 6% compared to the same period in 2014. Overseas visitors spent £0.84 billion during these visits, up 2% on Jan-Sep 2014. The £5 million South West Tourism Growth Fund, announced last year, will further promote tourism in the South-West of England.

Sports: Drugs

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has had discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) sporting stakeholders on setting up an independent body to fund research into anti-doping in sport; and if he will make a statement.

David Evennett: The World Anti-Doping Agency, to which the UK pays an annual fee, conducts research into anti-doping in sport that is utilised by national anti-doping organisations including UK Anti-Doping.

Sports: Drugs

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information his Department holds into anti-doping in UK sport; and if he will make a statement.

David Evennett: UK Anti-Doping is an Arms Length Body of DCMS and regularly advises my Department on all anti-doping matters.

Sports: Drugs

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that bodies undertaking anti-doping investigations in UK sport have access to the most up-to-date science and technology; and if he will make a statement.

David Evennett: UK Anti-Doping’s dedicated Science and Medical team work closely with the Drug Control Centre at King’s College London and others to research new substances and methods of using performance enhancing substances, as well as provide expertise in helping to develop new detection methods. Under the World Anti-Doping Code, UK Anti-Doping can store samples for up to 10 years to allow retrospective testing of samples as new testing methods are developed.

Department for Work and Pensions

Disability Living Allowance: Children

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the parents of children with mental health problems are aware that their child may be eligible to claim disability living allowance.

Justin Tomlinson: The DWP recognises the position of parents who have children with mental health problems and supports them through the award of Disability Living Allowance where the relevant entitlement conditions are met. As a Department we have multiple channels to ensure our customers are provided with the best possible information about their entitlement to benefits. These include: Public InformationThe Department provides information on benefits, including Disability Living Allowance (DLA), in a range of formats on www.gov.uk. This includes information relating to DLA for children and includes links to benefit eligibility calculators that will signpost the user to further information about DLA for children. Customer Facing StaffLearning and development for our customer facing/telephony staff raises awareness around the different needs of vulnerable customers. We also have a portal that all staff can access to appropriately signpost support available. Staff would actively consider this in their dealings with parents of disabled children, offering information on claiming Disability Living Allowance if appropriate. Partnership WorkingThe Department also works with a range of organisations that provide information and advice on claiming DLA for children, such as Disability Rights UK, Contact a Family, Young Minds, NetMums and Carers UK. Our policy teams ensure that national partner organisations are kept informed about policy changes. VisitingWhere a family is identified as needing a visit, our visiting officers typically complete holistic benefit checks which would include DLA considerations for any child.

Cold Weather Payments: Correspondence

Nigel Huddleston: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on individual cold weather payment notifications in (a) 2011, (b) 2012, (c) 2013, (d) 2014 and (e) 2015.

Justin Tomlinson: The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

State Retirement Pensions: Age

Julie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of increasing the state pension age on savings.

Julie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of increasing the state pension age on productivity.

Justin Tomlinson: The projected increase in the number of people working as a result of the rise in State Pension age provided for by the Pensions Act 2011 was estimated to generate a significant increase in gross employment earnings. Under this new timetable the peak increase compared to the previous timetable would be £5.0 billion in 2022/23 (in 2011/12 prices). At an individual level, working longer and saving into a private pension will, on average, increase lifetime pension income. Taking into consideration the additional employment income, individuals’ lifetime income will be improved if they work longer. Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has shown that the rise in women’s State Pension age from 60 to 62 has been accompanied by increases in employment rates for the women affected. Research by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research in 2011 showed that an increase of one year in the average effective working life is estimated to result in additional annual national output worth up to one per cent of GDP. In the same research, it was estimated that real GDP would be six per cent lower than it otherwise would have been by 2030, if plans for raising the state pension age (according to the Pensions Act 2007) were not implemented. The increase in labour supply as a result of the Pensions Act 2011 was also estimated to boost GDP above the projected baseline of the previous timetable. GDP could be between £7 billion and £9 billion higher in 2022/23 (in 2011/12 prices); in the period 2016 to 2026, the increase in labour supply due to the increase in State Pension age could boost national output by £70 billion (in 2011/12 prices). More information on both impacts can be found in Annex A of the Pensions Act 2011 Impact Assessment at::https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pensions-act-2011-impact-assessment

National Insurance: EU Nationals

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the non-UK EU nationals to whom national insurance number registrations were issued in the year to end of September 2015 were (a) resident in the UK, (b) in employment, (c) self-employed and (d) jobseekers at the time of registration.

Priti Patel: The information requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what date he became aware that his Department would not be able to deliver the Universal Credit programme to its original deadline of the end of 2017.

Priti Patel: In early 2013 the Government reset the Universal Credit Programme, and a clear plan was developed to ensure delivery. The Programme has since been delivering against that plan in a safe, steady and secure way.

National Insurance: Foreign Nationals

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the methodology and data sources set out in his Department's paper, Benefit claims by EEA nationals, published in November 2015, how many individuals are recorded in government computer systems who were nationals of a non-EEA member country at time of registration for a National Insurance number and are recorded as having arrived in 2004-05 using the earlier of (a) arrival date or (b) NINO registration date and have either (i) paid National Insurance contributions over the previous year, (ii) paid PAYE income tax over the previous year, (iii) registered any other form of activity in the relevant systems, including payments of other tax or tax in respect of self-employment or (iv) claimed benefits or tax credits over the previous year and these; and how many such people (A) claimed benefits or tax credits only and (B) paid NI or PAYE or self-assessment tax only in each year from 2004-05 to 2014-15.

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the methodology and data sources set out in his Department's paper, Benefit claims by EEA nationals, published in November 2015, how many individuals are recorded in government computer systems who were nationals of an EEA member country, other than the UK at time of registration for a National Insurance number and are recorded as having arrived in 2004-05 using the earlier of (a) arrival date or (b) NINO registration date and have either (i) paid National Insurance contributions over the previous year, (ii) paid PAYE income tax over the previous year, (iii) registered any other form of activity in the relevant systems, including payments of other tax or tax in respect of self-employment or (iv) claimed benefits or tax credits over the previous year and these; and how many such people (A) claimed benefits or tax credits only and (B) paid NI or PAYE or self-assessment tax only in each year from 2004-05 to 2014-15.

Priti Patel: The information requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Disability Living Allowance: Continuing Care

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of disability living allowance claimants have received an NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment to date.

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of personal independence payment claimants have received an NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment to date.

Justin Tomlinson: Information on whether claimants of Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment have received an NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment is not centrally recorded and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Ministry of Defence

South Sudan: Deployment

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel are expected to be deployed in support of the UN and African Union missions to South Sudan.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel are expected to be deployed in support of the UN and African Union missions to Somalia.

Penny Mordaunt: The UK is preparing to deploy approximately 300 troops to the UN mission in South Sudan, focussed on providing vital engineering support. Up to 70 troops will also deploy to Somalia, as part of UN support for the African Union force building stability in the country and countering the threat posed by the terrorist group al-Shabaab.

MOD Hebrides

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential for permission to be given to use the Vertical Launching System at Benbecula as a commercial launch pad.

Mr Philip Dunne: The current facilities at the Ministry of Defence Hebrides Range near Benbecula do not have vertical launch capability. The Department has not investigated whether the site could be used as a commercial launch pad.

Defence Equipment: Testing

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that equipment is properly tested before purchase or procurement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Department uses Test and Evaluation to support decision making throughout the acquisition cycle to understand the performance of the equipment that we procure.Test and Evaluation activities are used to demonstrate that equipment is fit for purpose, safe and compliant with contract requirements. The suitability of these activities is an integral part of our normal acquisition management processes and decision points.

Ministry of Defence: Redundancy

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26719, what change programmes are underway which are expected to reduce the number of his Department's civilian employees.

Mark Lancaster: The main change programmes which are in progress and expected to deliver significant civilian workforce reductions are Army re-basing, the US Visiting Forces restructuring, and transformation of Information Systems and Services.The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is also considering further programmes which are intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of defence outputs and the support provided to the Armed Forces. These include plans to reduce the overall Defence Estate; provision of Defence Fire and Emergency services; transforming the provision of hard and soft facility management, arrangements for infrastructure policing, options for the delivery of the MOD Guard Service and for the provision of shared corporate services. Each of these further programmes may impact on civilian staff. As I stated in my previous answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26719, the timing and reductions associated with individual programmes are still to be determined.

Ministry of Defence: Redundancy

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26719, how many civilian staff posts have been removed to date as a result of (a) the Army 2020 plan and (b) outsourcing logistics to Leidos; and how many such posts are subject to planned reductions over the remaining course of each such programme.

Mark Lancaster: The Civilian Structures Project (CSP) was established to align the civilian workforce structure with Army 2020 changes; under this programme, 577 civilian posts have been removed to date. The Army is currently undertaking a study to establish the necessary refinements to Army 2020 capability and structures to meet the requirements of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Further work on CSP is on hold while this study is conducted.In August 2015, 1,130 civilian posts transferred to the Delivery Partner, Team Leidos, under Transfer of Undertaking Protection of Employment (TUPE). Future staffing levels are a matter for Team Leidos.

HMS Vengeance: Repairs and Maintenance

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2016 to Question 26147, whether the cost of the work undertaken during the Long Overhaul Period of HMS Vengeance exceeded the value of the contract for that work.

Mr Philip Dunne: No, the total cost of the work undertaken has not exceeded the value of the contract.

Army Reserve: Recruitment

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new entrants joined the Army Reserve in 2015; and how many such entrants successfully completed phase (a) one and (b) two training.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new recruits who have joined the Army Reserve since 1 April 2015 have (a) started and (b) finished phase (i) one and (ii) two training.

Mr Julian Brazier: Both Reserve and Regular recruits undertake initial Phase 1 training in order to become effective soldiers and then proceed to Phase 2 training, where they receive the specific training they need to carry out their defined role. On successful completion of Phase 2, they join the Army Reserve Trained Strength. For Reserve recruits, Phase 1 initial training consists of two components; Phase 1(A) is delivered as a single week long course or over four weekends. Phase 1(B) is a 15.5 day long course. Phase 2 role-specific training courses are delivered over one period not exceeding 16 days. Army Reserve recruits are expected to commence Phase 1 training as soon as possible after enlistment. However, factors such as arranging time off work, exam attendance, family commitments, injury or medical clearance can delay a recruit from starting Phase 1 training. Some new soldier entrants are enlisted at risk whilst waiting to be declared medically fit. These entrants are described as Phase 0.  Army Reservists are required to attend at least one period of annual continuous training per year not exceeding 16 days. It is therefore expected that Army Reservists will complete Phase 1 during their first year of service and Phase 2 during their second year of service. Some Army Reservists however are able to complete Phase 1 and Phase 2 training during their first year of service, as demonstrated by the information in the table below concerning the 2015 entrants. The figures in the table below are as at 1 January 2016 and have been rounded to the nearest 10.   January-December 2015April- December 2015New Entrants to the FR20 Army Reserves3,6402,740Phase 0/Phase 1 Trainee2,7002,250Phase 2 Trainee (completed Phase 1)500280On Trained FR20 Strength (completed Phase 2)310130Left Army Reserves14070

Armed Forces: Physiotherapy

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether (a) Health Education England and (b) the Department of Health consulted his Department over the workforce need of the armed services and defence contractors before deciding to reduce training commissions for physiotherapists in 2016-17.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence has not been consulted.

Armed Forces: Physiotherapy

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to sponsor physiotherapy education places for future service physiotherapists.

Mark Lancaster: Physiotherapists are now recruited into the Armed Forces as commissioned officers. As a result Defence has enjoyed healthy recruiting of physiotherapists and, consequently, sponsorship of individuals through training is not currently considered necessary. Defence has benefited from applicants gaining clinical experience in the NHS prior to joining the military.

Nuclear Weapons: Transport

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance is issued under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 to homes along the route of convoys transporting nuclear weapons.

Penny Mordaunt: The Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 apply to areas, defined in each case by the Office for Nuclear Regulation, surrounding nuclear sites. The regulations do not apply to road transport and therefore no guidance is issued.

Fiji: Storms

Tommy Sheppard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to deploy (a) Fijian soldiers serving in the British Army and (b) other Army resources for humanitarian purposes in Fiji in response to the recent cyclone.

Penny Mordaunt: The Ministry of Defence's humanitarian relief deployments are typically in response to either a request from the Department for International Development or directly from the government affected. The UK did not receive a request for assistance from the Fijian government and so currently has no plans to deploy personnel or assets.

Burma: Military Aid

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether soldiers from Burma Army military operations command 2 (MOC-2) light infantry battalion (LIB) 9 or Burma Army Battalion 330 have received any form of training funded by the UK Government.

Penny Mordaunt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 January 2016 to Question 21564, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do however provide educational training, as well as English Language Training. We have no information to indicate that participants on these educational courses were Burmese Army soldiers from Burma Army military operations command 2 (MOC-2) light infantry battalion (LIB) 9 or Burma Army Battalion 330.



21564 - QnA extract on Burma Armed Forces
(Word Document, 14.6 KB)

Home Office

ClearSprings Management

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the value is of contracts awarded to Clearsprings by her Department in each of the last six years.

James Brokenshire: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 28 January 2016.The correct answer should have been:

In 2012, Clearsprings Ready Homes (CRH) were awarded 2 contracts for the provision of asylum accommodation, transport and related services. The estimated contract value over seven years (5 + 2) for each region is:Wales Region – £75 million.London and South of England Region - £55 million.In 2006, Clearsprings were awarded 5 contracts for the provision of asylum accommodation and related services. The estimated contract value over the life of the contracts (2006 – 2012) for each of the regions was:London - £88.3 millionSouth East - £25.1millionSouth West - £45.8 millionEast of England - £17.2 millionWales - £68.5 millionIn 2012, Clearsprings Ready Homes (CRH) were awarded 2 contracts for the provision of asylum accommodation, transport and related services. The estimated contract value over seven years (5 + 2) for each region is:Wales Region – £55 million.London and South of England Region - £75 million. In 2006, Clearsprings were awarded 5 contracts for the provision of asylum accommodation and related services. The estimated contract value over the life of the contracts (2006 – 2012) for each of the regions was:London - £88.3 millionSouth East - £25.1millionSouth West - £45.8 millionEast of England - £17.2 millionWales - £68.5 million

James Brokenshire: In 2012, Clearsprings Ready Homes (CRH) were awarded 2 contracts for the provision of asylum accommodation, transport and related services. The estimated contract value over seven years (5 + 2) for each region is:Wales Region – £75 million.London and South of England Region - £55 million.In 2006, Clearsprings were awarded 5 contracts for the provision of asylum accommodation and related services. The estimated contract value over the life of the contracts (2006 – 2012) for each of the regions was:London - £88.3 millionSouth East - £25.1millionSouth West - £45.8 millionEast of England - £17.2 millionWales - £68.5 millionIn 2012, Clearsprings Ready Homes (CRH) were awarded 2 contracts for the provision of asylum accommodation, transport and related services. The estimated contract value over seven years (5 + 2) for each region is:Wales Region – £55 million.London and South of England Region - £75 million. In 2006, Clearsprings were awarded 5 contracts for the provision of asylum accommodation and related services. The estimated contract value over the life of the contracts (2006 – 2012) for each of the regions was:London - £88.3 millionSouth East - £25.1millionSouth West - £45.8 millionEast of England - £17.2 millionWales - £68.5 million

Home Office: UK Membership of EU

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 35, on the European Council, whether her Department is undertaking planning in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the EU referendum.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 01 March 2016



At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government's position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

Crimes of Violence: Females

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2016 to Question 24958, how much funding the Government allocated for the provision of (a) domestic abuse services, (b) female rape support centres, (c) independent domestic violence advisers (IDVAs) and (d) independent sexual violence advisers (ISVAs) in each year from 2009-10 to 2015-16; and how many (i) rape support centres, (ii) IDVAs and (iii) ISVAs were supported with that funding in each of those years.

Karen Bradley: The previous Government provided £40 million of dedicated funding for domestic and sexual violence services between 2011 and 2015 equating to £10 million per year. This funding was extended until April 2016, supplemented by an additional £10 million for refuges, a £3.5 million fund to boost the provision of domestic violence services including refuges, and an uplift of £7 million for victims of sexual violence and child sexual abuse.This funding included £1.7 million per year to part-fund 87 Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs), an increase from £860,000 in 2009-10 and 2010-11 which supported 43 and 44 posts respectively, and £2.5 million per year to part-fund 144 Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs), an increase from £1.5 million in 2009-10 and £2.3 million in 2010-11 which supported 63 and 114 posts respectively.While it is not fully possible to disaggregate funding for domestic abuse services from support for wider violence against women and girls services, the attached table provides a detailed breakdown of funding to support the provision of IDVAs, ISVAs and Rape Support Centres for each year from 2009/10 to 2015/16.



Funding for IDVAs, ISVAs and Rape Support Centres
(Word Document, 33.5 KB)

Female Genital Mutilation

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2016 to Questions 26129 and 26130, how many and which organisations applied for funding for community projects to tackle female genital mutilation through schemes operated by (a) her Department and (b) the Department for Communities and Local Government in 2014-15; and which such applications were (i) accepted and (ii) rejected.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2016 to Questions 26129 and 26130, how much community engagement funding to tackle female genital mutilation (a) was allocated in 2013-14 and (b) has been allocated for 2015-16 through schemes operated by (i) her Department and (ii) the Department for Communities and Local Government; how many and which community projects applied for funding in these years; and which such applications were (A) accepted and (B) rejected.

Karen Bradley: In 2014-15, the Government provided over £380,000 to community organisations through the Home Office’s female genital mutilation (FGM) Community Engagement Initiative and the Department for Communities and Local Government’s FGM and forced marriage prevention projects.A total of 179 applications were received, and 29 of these applications were funded. The Answer of 11 February 2016 to Questions 26129 and 26130 provides a list of the organisations whose applications were successful. The Government did not provide specific funding for FGM community engagement projects in 2013-14 or 2015-16.We know that changing attitudes within communities is key to ending FGM and we will continue to work with community organisations and survivors through the FGM Unit’s stakeholder group and ongoing outreach programme to drive this work forward.

Female Genital Mutilation

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding the Government provided to the Female Genital Mutilation Helpline in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16; how many full-time equivalent staff have been employed by that helpline; how many calls that helpline has received; and how much funding the Government plans to allocate to that helpline in financial year 2016-17.

Karen Bradley: The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) runs the UK’s 24-hour female genital mutilation helpline in partnership with the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police Service. The Government does not fund the helpline, but works closely with the NSPCC to raise awareness of the helpline. A total of 1,129 calls and enquiries have been received by the helpline between November 2013 and the end of January 2016.

Forced Marriage Unit: Telephone Services

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many telephone calls from (a) domestic and (b) international locations the Forced Marriage Unit received in (i) each financial year since 2005 and (ii) 2015-16 to date.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the  average length of (a) domestic and (b) international calls to the Forced Marriage Unit; and what the cost of these calls were to (i) domestic and (ii) international callers in (A) each financial year since its establishment in 2005 and (B) 2015-16 to date.

Karen Bradley: Figures on the number of cases reported to the Forced Marriage Unit via its public helpline and email inbox are published annually and are available on GOV.uk. The figures include a breakdown of the countries involved for cases with an overseas element. Information on the origin, average length, and cost of calls is not collated centrally.

Refugees: Children

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Government plans to announce the outcome of proposals to assist unaccompanied refugee children from conflict regions.

James Brokenshire: As announced on 28th January, the Government is working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to lead a new initiative to scope the extent of the need to resettle in the UK unaccompanied refugee children in the exceptional cases where it is in the child’s best interests to do so. Discussions with UNHCR are ongoing. It is important that any proposal is considered carefully to ensure it is in the best interests of the children.

Police: Greater Manchester

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers are on duty each night of the week in each division of Greater Manchester Police.

Mike Penning: The Home Office does not hold the requested data centrally. The deployment of a police force’s available workforce is an operational decision for chief officers, in conjunction with their police and crime commissioners.

Refugees

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the demolition of the Calais camp known as the jungle on the number of migrants entering into the UK.

James Brokenshire: The UK and French Governments have been working closely for many months to address the situation in Northern France, and are committed to resolving it together.The Joint Declaration, signed by the Home Secretary and the French Interior Ministry in August 2015, committed both countries to a package of work to improve physical security at the ports, to coordinate the law enforcement response, to tackle the criminal gangs involved in people smug-gling and to reduce the number of migrants in Calais.

Crime: Greater Manchester

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help reduce knife crime in Greater Manchester.

Mr John Hayes: Tackling knife crime is a priority for this Government. Knife crime offences recorded by the police remain 14% below the level of offences in 2010.However we recognise there is always more to do and we are currently reviewing action to be taken on knife crime. We will be setting out the measures in the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy which will be published shortly.

Asylum: Housing

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (a) when, (b) where and (c) for how long the powers under section 101 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to designate reception zones have been used to date; and how many asylum seekers designated under section 95 of that Act have been so supported.

James Brokenshire: The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 introduced the policy of national dispersal, designed to share the impact of asylum seekers across the whole of the UK. Asylum seekers are housed across the UK under voluntary agreements between national government and local authorities that have been in place since 2000. The powers under Section 101 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 have not been used to date.

Police and Crime Commissioners

David Mackintosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to improve public awareness and understanding of the roles of police and crime commissioners.

Mike Penning: A range of communication activities are being conducted by the Home Office in order to increase awareness and understanding of the roles of police and crime commissioners.Plans include written, digital, broadcast and social media activity. Material such as posters and a short film are also being provided to Police Area Returning Officers and police and crime commissioner’s offices to use as part of their local communication plans.All activity will signpost the Cabinet Office candidate information website, ChooseMyPCC, and booklet ordering facility.

Slavery

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2016 to Question 28947, how many referrals the helpline has made to which relevant bodies in each year it has been in place, which relevant, on what date it is planned that the new modern slavery helpline will begin to operate; and how much funding the Government has allocated for the operation of that helpline.

Karen Bradley: I refer the Hon. Member to my response of 2 March. Between 31 July 2014 and 31 July 2015, 849 contacts were made to the NSPCC-run modern slavery helpline. Of these in total, 403 referrals were made to the police, 106 referrals were made to children’s services, 1 to the armed forces and 81 to other agencies. For the period 1 August 2015 to 31 January 2016 74 referrals were made to the helpline. Of these 49 referrals were made to the police, 14 referrals were made to children’s services and 11 to other agencies. A referral may be made to more than one agency and may include update referrals.No funding has been allocated for the NSPCC helpline for the financial year 2016-17. Polaris, a US-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), is establishing an enhanced UK helpline in collaboration with a UK-based NGO, which will supersede the current NSPCC helpline. The NSPCC helpline will remain in operation until the enhanced helpline is up and running. Start up funding of up to £1 illion has been provided by Google.org. The new helpline is expected to be in operation later this year.

Asylum: Calais

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications have been made from Calais in each year since 2010; and how many such applications have been unsuccessful.

James Brokenshire: Our international obligations under the Refugee Convention do not extend to accepting asylum claims from outside the United Kingdom. There is no provision in our Immigration Rules for someone to be given permission to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Individuals currently in Calais in need of international protection are expected to claim asylum in France.

Police: Pensions

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to establish equality in pension provision for surviving spouses of police officers across the different countries of the UK.

Mike Penning: As policing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and Scotland, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Scottish Government are responsible for the design and funding of police pensions in those parts of the United Kingdom.On 18 January 2016, the Police Pensions Regulations 1987 and the Police (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006 were amended to allow widows, widowers and civil partners of police officers in England and Wales who have died on duty and who qualified for a survivor pension after 1 April 2015 to continue to receive their survivors’ benefits for life. There are currently no plans to change this policy in England and Wales.

Michelle Samaraweera

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations have been made by whom in her Department to the Indian government on the extradition of the person charged with the rape and murder of Michelle Samaraweera in 2009.

James Brokenshire: An arrest was made in this case in India in July 2011 following an extradition request from the UK. Since then, the case has been before the Indian courts.The Home Office continues to monitor the case through the British High Commission in New Delhi. However, the United Kingdom has no involvement in the Indian court process.A further hearing is due to take place in India on 21 April 2016.

Scotland Office

UK Membership of EU: Scotland

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on Scotland of the UK leaving the EU.

David Mundell: At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government's position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

HM Treasury

Treasury: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) policy and (b) other responsibilities are of each special adviser in his Department.

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) policy and (b) other responsibilities are of each member of his Department's Council of Economic Advisers.

Harriett Baldwin: The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out the role of special advisers and describes the range of activities they may undertake. Copies of the Code of Conduct are available in the Libraries of the House and on-line athttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/468340/CODE_OF_CONDUCT_FOR_SPECIAL_ADVISERS_-_15_OCTOBER_2015_FINAL.pdf

Treasury: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answers of 10 February 2016 to Question 26025 and 25 February 2016 to Question 27582, whether special advisors at his Department are included within the public sector one per cent pay rise limit.

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any of his Department's advisors received a pay rise of more than one per cent in the last two financial years.

Harriett Baldwin: I refer the Honourable member to the answer given my Rt Hon. friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (26025) Like any employer, HM Treasury does not discuss individual personnel matters, however details on the remuneration of Special Advisers appointed in the current Government and information on the remuneration of Special Advisers during the Coalition Government are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/special-adviser-data-releases-numbers-and-costs

Revenue and Customs: Greater Manchester

Jim McMahon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2016 to Question 24298, on Revenue and Customs Greater Manchester, if he will place in the Library the value for money review of the decision made in February 2008.

Mr David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs has not undertaken a separate value for money review of the decision in February 2008 to close the office at Phoenix House, Oldham. I refer you to my answer of 3 February 2016.

Council of Economic Advisers

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date his Council of Economic Advisers last met in full; and how many times it met in full in the last 12 months.

Harriett Baldwin: Members of the Government’s Council of Economic Advisers meet daily with Ministers, officials and others to discuss the design and formation of government policy.

Financial Institutions: Visas

Alison Thewliss: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 20725, (a) on what dates and (b) with which financial providers the Government had discussions prior to the introduction of new rules for Tier 1 Entrepreneur visas in January 2013.

Harriett Baldwin: The government has regular discussions with a range of stakeholders, including financial institutions, on visa policies and other issues as a regular part of policy formation. The Treasury routinely publishes Ministerial meetings with outside organisations, including for the period prior to January 2013 athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=hm-treasury&publication_type=transparency-data

Smuggling

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress he has made on the formation of the cross-ministerial working group on illicit trade.

Damian Hinds: I remain committed to sponsoring work across government to tackle illicit tobacco. This requires a full understanding of cross-government policy on tobacco, tobacco control and efforts to tackle illicit tobacco. This is a complex picture and I have asked officials in HMRC to work with other departments to ensure that we have this context to identify the challenges and opportunities in the UK and internationally and determine a clear agenda for ministerial action. This work is continuing.

Investment Income: Taxation

Jim Shannon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that bank dividends are properly taxed.

Harriett Baldwin: Banks are taxed on their dividend receipts according to the same rules as other companies. We have robust anti-avoidance legislation in place to ensure that these rules are not abused, including the General Anti-Abuse Rule which was legislated in Finance Act 2013.

Treasury: Sick Leave

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many officials of his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in each of the last five years; and what proportion of (a) his Department's staff and (b) total sick leave the sick leave of such officials represented in each such year.

Harriett Baldwin: The Treasury’s sickness absence data for ‘Mental and Behavioural Disorders’ includes stress related conditions. Details relating to Mental and Behavioural Disorders for the four financial years to March 2015 and the most current information to September 2015 is as follows:Year/periodNumber of officialsProportion of staffProportion of total sick leave of the departmentOctober 2014 to September 2015383.1%26%April 2014 to March 2015363.2%25%April 2013 to March 2014333.0%25%April 2012 to March 2013322.8%19%April 2011 to March 2012282.4%18%

Treasury: Resignations

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many of his Department's officials resigned in each of the last 12 months.

Harriett Baldwin: A total of 85 officials resigned from the department during the last 12 months in which records are available, from February 2015 until January 2016.The number of resignations for each of the 12 months can be viewed in the table below: MonthResignationFeb-157Mar-158Apr-159May-155Jun-157Jul-159Aug-157Sep-155Oct-159Nov-154Dec-158Jan-167Grand Total85

Income Tax

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 12W, what assessment he has made of the effects on revenues of a reduction in the top rate of tax from 45p to (a) 44p, (b) 43p, (c) 42p, (d) 41p and (d) 40p.

Mr David Gauke: The Government keeps all aspects of the tax system under review and any decisions on future changes are taken as part of the annual Budget process in the context of the wider public finances.

Government Departments: Bank Services

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which banks are permitted by his Department to hold government funds.

Harriett Baldwin: The vast majority of funds is held within the exchequer at the Government Banking Service. It is not held in commercial bank accounts. Public sector organisations require permission from HM Treasury and the Crown Commercial Representative for banking, currently the Head of the Government Banking Service, to open a commercial bank account. Public sector organisations should follow guidelines set out in the banking annex of “Managing Public Money”. The key points within these guidelines are that the balances held in commercial accounts should be minimised and the commercial bank providing the banking service needs to be a member of relevant UK clearing bodies.

Money Laundering: Maldives

Julie Cooper: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the use of money laundering services in the Maldives by UK citizens.

Harriett Baldwin: The Government believes that money laundering is a critical enabler of both terrorism and serious and organised crime. This is why the UK’s anti-money laundering regime contains controls and supervisory mechanisms which aim to make the UK financial system a hostile environment for illicit finances, whilst minimising the burden on legitimate businesses and reducing the overall burden of regulation. The Government expects UK citizens to comply with anti-money laundering regulations both at home and abroad and strives, particularly through the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), to improve global standards and combat money laundering.

Wholesale Trade: Alcoholic Drinks

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what contingency plans he has should an insufficient number of wholesalers not have signed up to the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme by the end of March 2016.

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many wholesalers have registered for the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme to date.

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what processes are in place to ensure that wholesalers sign up to the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme by the end of March 2016.

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made on its communications programme for the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme.

Damian Hinds: The application window for the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme (AWRS) closes on 31 March. HMRC is using appropriate channels to ensure customers who need to apply are aware of their obligations in good time to enable them to meet that deadline. Once the application window has closed, HMRC will assess the applications it has received. Appropriate action will then be taken to enforce the requirements of the new scheme. HMRC has been ramping up communications for AWRS over the last 12 months. It has issued several press notices and articles including regional and national media as well as specialist press and social media. HMRC is also working through key stakeholders and representative bodies associated with the alcohol business sectors to issue partnership marketing, giving a reach of 55,000 businesses. In February I wrote to individual businesses that may need to apply for AWRS to remind them of the deadline. The HMRC communications approach to this scheme is designed to ensure messages reach everyone who needs to receive them. If, however, analysis of applications after the deadline reveals a particular category of customers 'missing' to a significant degree from the applications received, and there is evidence that the programme of extensive communications failed to reach them, HMRC will explore whether there are any implications for the way in which follow up action is taken for that particular group.

Revenue and Customs

Chris Stephens: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether decisions to close HM Revenue and Customs offices are subject to ministerial approval on a case-by-case basis.

Mr David Gauke: As HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced in November, it is transforming the way it works to be able to deliver better public services at lower cost to the taxpayer, meeting the Government’s challenge to all departments to do more with less.As part of that programme, HMRC plans to bring together its employees in 13 Regional Centres. These will be large, modern offices, equipped with the digital infrastructure and training facilities needed to build a more highly-skilled workforce.Treasury Ministers are supportive of the objectives of HMRC’s transformation programme. However, HMRC is a non-ministerial department and decisions on where to locate the future Regional Centres are operational ones, which are ultimately approved by its Executive Committee.

Service Industries: EU Internal Trade

Emma Reynolds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits for the UK economy of the completion of a EU single market in services.

Mr David Gauke: The Treasury will publish a comprehensive analysis of our membership of a reformed EU and the alternatives, including the long-term economic costs and benefits of EU membership and the risks associated with an exit before 23 June.

Treasury: Fringe Benefits

Philip Davies: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2016 to Question 26827, what the job titles are of those people in receipt of subsidised health insurance.

Harriett Baldwin: The individuals are Commercial Specialists, who transferred into HM Treasury from Partnerships UK under a TUPE arrangement.

Self-employed: Tax Avoidance

David Morris: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many personal service companies are in operation in the UK.

Mr David Gauke: The information requested is obtainable from a discussion document on IR35 published by HM Revenue and Customs on 17 July which is available at the following link :https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/446242/Intermediaries_legislation_IR35-discussion_document.pdf

Personal Injury

Andy Slaughter: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on income tax receipts of changes to personal injury law and procedure prior to making his announcement in the 2015 Autumn Statement; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke: The Ministry of Justice will launch a public consultation in due course on the details of the policy. This will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

Taxation: Electronic Cigarettes

Philip Davies: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to make representations to EU institutions on EU plans to tax (a) e-cigarettes and (b) other reduced risk products at the same rates as combustible cigarettes.

Damian Hinds: There are no plans to mandate EU-level rules on taxing e-cigarettes and no legislative proposals have been submitted. As the EU Commission clarified last week, all that has happened is that the Commission has been asked to further analyse the issue of e-cigarettes as part of a wider review of the Tobacco Duties Directive (2011/64/EU). Any proposal would need the unanimous support of all 28 EU governments for it to be approved.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Sellafield: Conditions of Employment

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what changes have been proposed to the existing terms and conditions of the Sellafield workforce under the workforce reform initiative.

Andrea Leadsom: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 03 March 2016.The correct answer should have been:

The Sellafield Change Programme is being put into place to improve business performance and provide greater value for the public purse while maintaining the priority of safe and secure operations. In relation to terms and conditions of employment, there are two improvements being proposed by Sellafield Ltd: first, changes to the pay and grading structure of existing staff, to ensure that pay and grading is fair and equitable; and second, new terms for new starters that are more closely aligned to market practice. In both cases the business has and will continue to engage with its employees and their representatives on the proposed changes. Details of the change programme are available in the attached. at: http://www.nda.gov.uk/contracts-and-competition/sellafield-model-change-programme.



New Management Arrangements: Sellafield
(PDF Document, 4.01 MB)

Andrea Leadsom: The Sellafield Change Programme is being put into place to improve business performance and provide greater value for the public purse while maintaining the priority of safe and secure operations. In relation to terms and conditions of employment, there are two improvements being proposed by Sellafield Ltd: first, changes to the pay and grading structure of existing staff, to ensure that pay and grading is fair and equitable; and second, new terms for new starters that are more closely aligned to market practice. In both cases the business has and will continue to engage with its employees and their representatives on the proposed changes. Details of the change programme are available in the attached. at: http://www.nda.gov.uk/contracts-and-competition/sellafield-model-change-programme.



New Management Arrangements: Sellafield
(PDF Document, 4.01 MB)

Department of Energy and Climate Change: UK Membership of EU

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 35, on the European Council, whether her Department is undertaking planning in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the EU referendum.

Amber Rudd: At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government's position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

Energy: Billing

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on consumer energy bills of bringing forward by one year the start of the Capacity Market.

Andrea Leadsom: The Capacity Market is designed to encourage competition and a low clearing price. It is technology neutral and will procure any type of capacity to meet the target at the lowest possible cost to consumers. By keeping more plant in the market, it is also likely to increase competition and drive down costs. The Capacity Market will protect consumers from higher cost spikes that would occur if our electricity supplies were less secure.

Energy: EU Action

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits for the UK economy of the completion of a EU internal energy market.

Amber Rudd: My Department assesses that the completion of the EU internal energy market would put downward pressure on energy bills; encourage efficient investment in the UK energy sector; and enhance energy security.

Solar Power

Melanie Onn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will estimate the change in the number of jobs that will be lost in the solar industry as a result of the early closure of the renewables obligation.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Solar Power: Employment

Melanie Onn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the change in the number of jobs in the solar industry has been since May 2015.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cabinet Office

Lobbying

Richard Burden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will estimate how many (a) people and (b) organisations will be affected by the interim guidance on the new anti-lobbying clause in government grant agreements.

Matthew Hancock: The information requested is not held centrally. We are currently working on improving the data collected on grants through the development of an internal Government Grants Information System. The clause will apply to all grants except in exceptional circumstances as set out at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-grants-register.

Pregnancy: North West

Conor McGinn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many women have died (a) in pregnancy and (b) during childbirth in (i) St Helens, (ii) St Helens North constituency, (iii) Merseyside and (iv) the North West in each year since 2010.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - Death from Asthma 
(PDF Document, 184.32 KB)

Queen Elizabeth II: Anniversaries

Royston Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government plans to take to celebrate HM the Queen's 90th birthday.

John Penrose: Representatives of the Government will be attending a number of events to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday including a National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral and The Queen’s Birthday Parade on Horseguards Parade.

Freedom of Information

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if his Department plans to accept the recommendations of the Commission on Freedom of Information that the Freedom of Information Act should be extended to private companies which hold public contracts.

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the future scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to change the Cabinet veto over the release of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to extend the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to include private sector companies that deliver public services.

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to introduce a statutory time limit for dealing with appeals under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Matthew Hancock: I refer the hon Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2016 [Hansard reference HCWS566]

Commission on Freedom of Information: Costs

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse was of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information.

Matthew Hancock: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Constituencies

Frank Field: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will place in the public domain the complete set of submissions that were made to the Boundary Commission's review of parliamentary constituency boundaries in the previous Parliament.

John Penrose: This is a matter for the independent Boundary Commissions.All the representations that the Boundary Commissions for Scotland and Northern Ireland received at the boundary review in the previous Parliament are available on their websites, and the representations that the Boundary Commission for Wales received on its initial proposals and during the secondary consultation period at that review are available on its website. The Boundary Commission for England makes available on its website the representations received for the review ongoing at the time only.

Wales Office

UK Membership of EU: Wales

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on Wales of the UK leaving the EU.

Stephen Crabb: At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government's position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK – including Wales – will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Small Businesses: Rural Areas

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that small rural businesses can adapt to the changes proposed to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the effect of the fluctuation in the market price of crude oil on the continued operation of waste oil collection services.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to mitigate the potential effect on rural businesses of the proposed changes to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 concerning the burning of waste oil.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the farming industry of the potential impact on rural businesses of the proposed changes to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on waste oil collection services in rural areas of the proposed changes to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that the proposed changes to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 concerning the  burning of waste oil do not result in an increase in unrestricted dumping of such oil.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the price of crude oil on the continued operation of waste oil collection services in rural areas.

Rory Stewart: The changes referred to do not amend the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. The changes made are to the ‘Environmental Guidance On Waste Incineration’, which now clarifies that small waste oil burners used to burn waste oil must meet the requirements of Chapter IV of the Industrial Emissions Directive or switch to non-waste fuels. This guidance can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-permitting-guidance-the-waste-incineration-directive/environmental-permitting-guidance-waste-incineration.A consultation on the changes to the guidance was undertaken between 14 September and 26 October last year. A summary of responses can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487892/waste-incineration-consult-sum-resp.pdf.The impact assessment for the changes to this guidance considered some sensitivities on the price of crude oil with regard to collection fees only. The impact assessment can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487895/waste-incineration-consult-ep-ia.pdf.

Dredging

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2016 to Question 27063, what steps she plans to take to ensure oversight mechanisms are put in place when further powers to dredge watercourses are extended to farmers.

Rory Stewart: The draft Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2016 include conditions that must be followed by those wishing to undertake dredging under an exemption. If works are not undertaken according to the relevant conditions, then the Environment Agency will be able to take enforcement action. This includes suspension notices to stop any further works being carried out, enforcement and remediation notices requiring remediation within a specified period, and the power to prosecute.

Marine Conservation Zones: Devon

Mr Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of expanding the Marine Conservation Zone from Bideford to Foreland Point to include the Greencliff site.

George Eustice: This extension was proposed in a response to the consultation on the designation of this Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). Boundary issues were examined where new relevant information or data were presented which had not previously been considered. Natural England analysed evidence submitted with the extension proposal and advised that it would increase the area of intertidal rock and seabed sediment habitats protected, but these were already protected elsewhere within the MCZ, and in the wider network. Any proposed changes to the boundary cannot be made without further consultation with other stakeholders who may be affected by the change.

Waste Disposal

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to ensure the UK meets (a) the EU target to 50 per cent of municipal waste by 2020 and (b) the proposed EU target to recycle 65 per cent of such waste by 2030.

Rory Stewart: The UK recycling rate has increased from 11% at the turn of the century, to 44.9% now. This progress is thanks in large part to the hard work of Local Authorities and householders. The Government is committed to meeting the 2020 EU recycling target of 50% of household waste. Local Authorities are best placed to determine the most appropriate waste collection and recycling services in their areas and we work with them and the Waste and Recycling Action Programme (WRAP) to promote best practice. I have asked WRAP to look at what further measures can be taken to improve recycling rates and, in particular the benefits and opportunities there are from having greater consistency in the materials collected and collection systems to enable Local Authorities to recycle more, and to make it easier for householders to put the right materials in the right bin. The UK is still assessing the implications of the proposed recycling targets for 2030.

Recycling: Christchurch

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 27122, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the Christchurch Beach Replenishment Scheme; and what assessment has been made of the quantity of material used to re-establish coast protection which is still in place.

Rory Stewart: Christchurch Borough Council are the Risk Management Authority responsible for this section of coast and commissioned the Christchurch Beach Replenishment Scheme in early summer 2015. They conduct monthly visual inspections of beach condition. Regular surveys are also carried out on behalf of all Coastal Authorities to assess volume changes through the South-East Region Coastal Monitoring Programme.The quantity of material used to restore the beach was recorded by contractors and independently confirmed by pre and post works survey to be 25,000m3 which exceeded the design quantity.Christchurch Borough Council reports that the re-nourished beach has shown a normal response to winter storm events, with material moving between groyne embayments, and expected losses occurring from the top of the beach to the nearshore area. Reports also conclude that the beach nourishment work undertaken reduced the vulnerability of the sea wall foundations and promenades to collapse.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent changes the Government has made to the Basic Payment Scheme claims process; and what assessment the Government has made of the effect of those changes on the performance of that scheme.

George Eustice: The new Common Agricultural Policy has widely been acknowledged as being more complex and the Rural Payments Agency has had to implement new systems and processes. In the first year of the Basic Payment Scheme, as of 23 February, 70,880 farmers, just over 81% of all eligible claims, have received their 2015 payments, bringing the total paid out for the scheme to £1.11 billion.The Rural Payments Agency has already indicated that for 2016 there will be an online Basic Payment Scheme application process supported by online land and entitlement transfers. There will also be a paper application form for those that need it. The agency will work with farmers and agents to support them to submit their applications by the deadline of midnight on Monday 16 May.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what date she plans to announce the Basic Payment Scheme claims process for 2016.

George Eustice: The Rural Payments Agency is launching the 2016 claim period at the beginning of March and will work with farmers and agents to support them to submit their applications by the deadline of midnight on Monday 16 May.The Rural Payments Agency has already indicated that for 2016 there will be an online Basic Payment Scheme application process supported by online land and entitlement transfers. There will be a paper application form for those that need it.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure (a) people who have not received payments from the Basic Payment Scheme for 2015 will receive those payments by the end of March 2016 and (b) all claimants of that scheme will receive information on how payments have been calculated.

George Eustice: The Rural Payments Agency is working to pay the remainder of farmers their Basic Payment Scheme claims as promptly as possible and is aiming to make almost all payments by the end of March. The Secretary of State and I have regular conversations with the CEO of the agency about progress. The agency has been communicating with farmers who have not yet received their payments. Going forward the agency will keep them updated about the likely timing of their payment until they are paid.The Rural Payments Agency will support every payment with a paper explanatory claim statement and guidance on how payments have been calculated. These statements started to be issued in February and will continue to go out throughout March.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Billing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of her Department's invoices for goods and services supplied by (a) private companies and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been completed on time in the last year for which figures are available; and what proportion of the (i) number and (ii) value of contracts between her Department and private companies are held by SMEs.

George Eustice: Core Defra’s prompt payment reports do not distinguish between invoices from private companies and invoices from small and medium-sized enterprises.Information on Defra’s prompt payment performance in respect of all supplier payments in 2015-16 is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defra-prompt-payment-performance-report.The latest information on the expenditure Defra bodies have with SMEs is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/482524/Central_Government_Direct_and_Indirect_Spend_with_SMEs.csv/preview.The information on the number of contracts core Defra has with SMEs could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Department of Health

NHS 111

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to improve the level of expertise and knowledge amongst 111 NHS staff.

Jane Ellison: As part of the process of moving to a new integrated urgent care service, accessed through the 111 telephone number, NHS England has established a Workforce Development Programme. This includes the development of a competency framework, which will set out the skills, behaviours and competencies needed for both clinical and non-clinical staff to continually improve the safety and quality of patient care. In addition, NHS England’s NHS 111 Workforce Investment Fund is supporting a number of projects that will test and evaluate a number of initiatives for improving the effectiveness of the NHS 111 workforce.

Stem Cells: Donors

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much public funding has been provided to (a) NHS Blood and Transplant, (b) Anthony Nolan, (c) NHS England and (d) other bodies for stem cell donation purposes in each year since 2003-04.

Jane Ellison: Since 2011, the Department has provided funding to both NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and Anthony Nolan to support the improvement of provision of stem cells in the United Kingdom. Details for each of the last four complete financial years is as follows:  YearAnthony NolanNHSBT2011/122,000,0002,000,0002012/132,000,0002,000,0002013/142,000,0002,000,0002014/152,000,0002,000,000 NHS England does not commission stem cell donation services.

Stem Cells: Transplant Surgery

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the geographic variation in the effectiveness of each of the UK's NHS transplant centres for the transplantation of stem cells; and what steps NHS England is taking to reduce that variation.

Jane Ellison: NHS England assesses providers against service specifications. Of the 46 providers assessed, 41 were assessed to be compliant with the NHS England specification. Commissioners and providers have agreed action plans to achieve compliance in the remaining five. NHS England also collects data from providers against a number of metrics. There is a process for reviewing variation in this data involving the Clinical Reference Group chair and accountable commissioner. Where variation is identified, commissioning teams hold discussions with services to determine any actions required.

Female Genital Mutilation

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which (a) GPs, (b) acute trusts and (c) mental health trusts failed to submit data to the Female Genital Mutilation Enhanced Dataset via the Health and Social Care Information Centre by (i) the 31 July submission deadline for Q2 2015, (ii) the 31 October deadline for Q3 2015 and (iii) the 31 January deadline for Q3 2015.

Jane Ellison: The data from the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Enhanced Dataset can be found at: http://www.hscic.gov.uk/fgm It became mandatory for all acute trusts to collect and submit to the FGM Enhanced Dataset from 1 July 2015 and for all mental health trusts and general practitioner (GP) practices from 1 October 2015. Therefore GPs and mental health trusts were not under a requirement to submit information during the period for which information can be provided. The third quarterly data set has been published today.

Stem Cells: Donors

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department spent on securing stem cell donations from abroad for patients in the UK who have blood disorders or blood cancer in each year since 2003-04; and (a) how many and (b) what proportion of patients in each of those years received stem cell donations from abroad.

Jane Ellison: The Department does not hold this information.

Stem Cells: Donors

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on (i) the number of people who were registered as stem cell donors with (a) NHS Blood and Transplant, (b) the Welsh Bone Marrow Registry and (c) The Anthony Nolan registry in each year since 2003-04 and (ii) the number of such people who were from black and ethnic minority ethnic backgrounds.

Jane Ellison: The British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR) and Anthony Nolan registries were merged in 2012 to form the Anthony Nolan and NHS Stem Cell Registry. In 2013 the registry was expanded to include the Welsh Bone Marrow Registry. The Anthony Nolan and NHS Stem Cell Registry publish annual reports which provide a breakdown of registered donors by ethnicity. The Department only holds data prior to the creation of the Anthony Nolan and NHS Stem Cell Registry for the BBMR. The numbers of donors of Black, Asian or Minority Ethic (BAME) genetic heritage are listed below: BBMRYearTotalBAME2010-11297,35913,6122011-12301,15014,4492012-13322,80315,2222013-14328,73116,2442014-15332,76516,4702015-16339,87218,390Source: NHS Blood and Transplant

Stem Cells: Transplant Surgery

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS transplant centres there are for the transplantation of stem cells for people with blood cancer or blood disorders; how much funding has NHS England provided to such centres in each year since 2009-10; and in the latest inspections by the Joint Accreditation Committee for the International Society for Cellular Therapy and the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (JACIE), on how many of the standards set by JACIE was each entre found (a) compliant and (b) non-compliant.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much public funding has been allocated in each year since 2003-04 to improve post-transplant outcomes for people with blood cancer or blood disorders after they receive a successful stem cell donation.

Jane Ellison: NHS England commissions stem cell transplant activity for adults and children from 46 providers and have provided the following information on funding. Total funding for stem cell transplantation was £163 million in 2013/14 and £170 million in 2014/15. Services are commissioned within this budget based on need rather than as individual services. Stem cell transplantation is subject to local pricing and so it is not possible to provide information about funding by provider as this is commercially sensitive. NHS England is responsible for commissioning specialised care involving adult bone marrow transplantation that includes care up to 100 days after transplant. The costs of care up to 100 days post-transplant are included within the overall budget for stem cell transplantation. NHS England does not hold data on the funding of care beyond this 100 day period. The Department does not hold information on funding provided for these services before the creation of NHS England in 2013. The Joint Accreditation Committee for the International Society for Cellular Therapy and the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (JACIE) is an independent organisation and the Department does not hold data related to JACIE compliance.

Hepatitis and Obesity

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the level of (a) obesity, (b) hepatitis B and (c) hepatitis C is in (i) England and (ii) each parliamentary constituency in the last year for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: The latest data (2012-2014) on adult obesity are available by local authority and can be accessed via the following web link: http://www.noo.org.uk/visualisation (See 3rd article.) Data on childhood obesity are collected through the National Childhood Measurement Programme for two school year groups Reception (four-five year olds) and Year six (10-11 year olds). The latest data can be accessed via the Health and Social Care Information website: http://www.hscic.gov.uk/searchcatalogue?productid=19405&q=title%3a%22national+child+measurement+programme%22&sort=Relevance&size=10&page=1#top Data on obesity for adults and children are not available by constituency. In 2014, a total of 488 laboratory reports of confirmed acute hepatitis B infection were reported in England to Public Health England (PHE). For hepatitis C, a total of 11,471 laboratory reports were reported in England to PHE. Data are not available by parliamentary constituency.

Health

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on developing a cross-departmental strategy to improve access and availability to fitness and sports facilities to improve public health.

Jane Ellison: The Department works closely with other Government departments to achieve a joined-up approach to improving the public’s health, including with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the development and implementation of their Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation.

Female Genital Mutilation

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many medical professionals have completed each of Health Education England's e-learning training sessions on female genital mutilation in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16 to date; and which e-learning training packages are currently available for medical professionals to access.

Ben Gummer: Health Education England’s Healthcare Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) e-learning programme was launched on 19 March 2015 and has been available for 11 months to date. We are therefore unable to provide statistics for the periods 2013-14 and 2014-15. For the period 19 March 2015 to date, the numbers of professionals who have completed each of the e-learning modules are: ― Introduction to FGM – 4,325 times completed by users;― communication Skills for FGM Consultations – 3,432 times completed;― legal and Safeguarding Issues Regarding FGM in the United Kingdom – 3,198 times completed;― FGM: Issues, Presentation and Management in Children and Young Women – 3,116 times completed; and― FGM: Issues, Presentation and Management in Women and Around Pregnancy – 3,008 times completed. All five of the above e-learning packages are currently available to healthcare professionals including school nurses, practice nurses, health visitors and general practitioners, via the e-learning for healthcare training platform.

Stem Cells: Donors

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of (a) people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, (b) white northern Europeans, (c) mixed race people and (d) people from other ethnic backgrounds found a matching stem cell donor in each year since 2003-04.

Jane Ellison: The Department does not hold this information.

Medical Treatments

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions NICE has had with the EU institutions on the proposed Joint Action 3 on health technology appraisals.

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from NICE on the potential merits of a European relative effectiveness assessment to inform health technology appraisals.

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with NICE on its policy on a European relative effectiveness assessment for new drugs.

George Freeman: In October 2015, the Department nominated the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a partner organisation in the planned third Joint Action on Health Technology Assessment (HTA). NICE has advised that it has had a number of discussions with European Commission officials, as well as other partner organisations, about NICE’s participation in this planned Joint Action. The Department is responsible for the policy framework for the assessment of health technologies and officials remain in close contact with NICE regarding the European Union collaboration in HTA, including the proposals for the production of joint products as part of the third Joint Action.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what overlap there is between the £1.4 billion funding for improving children and young people's mental health services referenced in the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 25482, the £600 million funding for mental health services referenced in paragraph 1.99 of the Autumn Statement and Spending Review 2015, the almost £1 billion funding to enhance mental health services made in the announcement by the Prime Minister, Prime Minister pledges a revolution in mental health treatment, published on 11 January 2016, and the commitment to spend an extra £1 billion by 2020-21 to improve access to mental health services made in response to the report of the Mental Health Taskforce, 23 February 2016, Official Report, column 153.

Alistair Burt: The £1.4 billion funding for improving children and young people’s mental health services was announced by the previous Coalition Government and consists of £30 million per year for five years announced in the 2014 Autumn Statement to develop community-based eating disorder services and £1.25 billion over five years announced by the then Deputy Prime Minister on 14 March 2015 and included in the Spring Budget for 2015. The subsequent announcements of funding represent additional money on top of that £1.4 billion. All of the Taskforce recommendations are funded from the overall envelope agreed in the Spending Review. The £600 million set out by the Chancellor set the foundation for the Taskforce by establishing the minimum amount of additional new money that would need to be spent to transform mental health services. This was underpinned by an understanding that improving mental health services will improve how the wider NHS functions and generate savings that can be reinvested into services. The Prime Minister announced investment for mental health on 11 January comprising:― £290 million to provide specialist care to mothers before and after having their babies;― £247 million for mental health services in hospital emergency departments; and― over £400 million to enable 24/7 treatment in communities as a safe and effective alternative to hospital. The figures in the Prime Minister’s announcement represent the total amount that we anticipate will be invested in these three priority areas over the five-year period from 2016/17 to 2020/21. The £1 billion in 2020/21 announced on 23 February 2016 will fund all of the priority recommendations for the National Health Service set out in the Mental Health Taskforce report. It includes the anticipated costs in the year 2020/21 of the three priority areas that the Prime Minister announced.

Liver Diseases

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital admissions due to liver disease there were in (a) England and (b) each parliamentary constituency in the last year for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: The information requested is in the attached table.



Finished admission episodes liver disease
(Excel SpreadSheet, 42.44 KB)

Diseases

Ben Howlett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the 100,000 Genomes project will be able to diagnose patients with a ring chromosome.

George Freeman: The 100,000 Genomes Project could potentially diagnose participants with a ring chromosome through whole genome sequencing. The close working between NHS Genomic Medicine Centres and Genomics England means that ring chromosomes will continue to be detected primarily through routine diagnostic care. The 100,000 Genomes Project will give important information on the effective use of genomic technologies to bring benefit to National Health Service patients.

NHS: Drugs

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to page 15 of the interim report of the Accelerated Access Review, published October 2014, what recent discussions he has had on the implementation of new models of pricing and reimbursing drugs; when he anticipates implementing such new models; what discussions he has had with (a) his Department's officials and (b) external organisations on the applicability of such models to drugs targeting the genetically validated target PCSK9; and if he will make a statement.

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to page 15 of the interim report of the Accelerated Access Review, published October 2014, what recent discussions he has had on the implementation of new models of pricing and reimbursing drugs; when he anticipates implementing such models; what discussions he has had with (a) his Department's officials and (b) external organisations on the applicability of such models to drugs targeting the genetically validated target PCSK9; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: The Accelerated Access Review, chaired by Sir Hugh Taylor, will make recommendations to government on reforms to accelerate access for National Health Service patients to innovative medicines and medical technologies making our country the best place in the world to design, develop and deploy these products. The terms of the reference for the review focus on faster access to innovations, which may include drugs that target genetically validated targets such as PCSK9 and BCL2.

Diabetes

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many type 1 diabetics have received a prescription penalty charge in each of the last three years.

Alistair Burt: Data is not available to indicate the number of diabetic patients who have received a prescription penalty charge in each of the last three years.

Visual Impairment

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people who are short-sighted in each of the last five years; and what steps he is taking to ensure such people are properly treated.

Alistair Burt: The Department does not collect data on the numbers of people who are short sighted, therefore no such estimate has been made. Information is, however, available on the number of National Health Service sight tests provided and NHS optical vouchers issued. This information is available on the Health and Social Care Information Centre website: http://www.hscic.gov.uk/searchcatalogue?productid=18320&topics=2%2fPrimary+care+services%2fEye+care+services%2fEye+care+services+activity&sort=Relevance&size=10&page=1#top Individuals who are experiencing problems with their vision, possibly due to short sightedness, are encouraged to have a sight test with an optometrist or ophthalmic medical practitioner. Sight tests, whether provided on the NHS or privately, allow the opportunity to review all aspects of eye health, including whether there is a need to correct short sightedness, the main treatment for which is glasses or contact lenses.

Lung Cancer: Drugs

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects the lung cancer drug Zykadia to be available on the NHS.

George Freeman: Zykadia (ceritinib) is licensed for use in the treatment of Zykadia (ceritinib) in the United Kingdom. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising Zykadia for previously treated anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small-cell lung cancer. In the absence of guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund new medicines based on an assessment of the available evidence.

NHS: Drugs

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to page 24 of the interim report of the Accelerated Access Review, published in October 2015, what steps he is taking to ensure that drugs that target the genetically validated targets (a) PCSK9 and (b) BCL2 are introduced into routine NHS care; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: The Accelerated Access Review, chaired by Sir Hugh Taylor, will make recommendations to government on reforms to accelerate access for National Health Service patients to innovative medicines and medical technologies making our country the best place in the world to design, develop and deploy these products. The terms of the reference for the review focus on faster access to innovations, which may include drugs that target genetically validated targets such as PCSK9 and BCL2.

Colorectal Cancer

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the number of patients who will be able to access treatments for colorectal cancer on the NHS from April 2016.

George Freeman: NHS England has advised that all patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer will continue to be able to access treatment for their disease. It is not possible to estimate the numbers of patients who will be able to access both current and future specific treatments for colorectal cancers as there is a wide range of treatments available and these are ever changing.

Cancer: Drugs

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with NHS England and NICE on the Cancer Drugs Fund consultation; and whether he discussed with those bodies whether proposals on the future of that fund would (a) increase and (b) restrict access to cancer medicines.

George Freeman: My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has been kept informed as this work has been progressed. NHS England has advised that it envisages, under the new arrangements for the Cancer Drugs Fund, that a greater number of cancer drugs will be funded from baseline commissioning. This will be as a consequence of more appropriate pricing arrangements proposed by pharmaceutical manufacturers and better evidence being available through the Fund as to longer term patient outcomes.

Colorectal Cancer: Drugs

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with NICE and NHS England on the availability of Erbitux for metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

George Freeman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 February 2016 to Question 27585.

World Health Organisation: Finance

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the Government has contributed to the World Health Organisation in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: The Department contributes financially, on a calendar year basis, to the World Health Organization (WHO) in the form of the United Kingdom’s assessed contribution, and voluntary contributions to support areas of work such as dementia, tobacco control and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), including a contribution in 2015 to support the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR. The Department’s contributions for the last three years are set out in the table below. yearAssessed contribution (£)Voluntary contribution (£)201319,482,012.20153,957.75201415,343,925.23719,233.11201515,129,522.233,778,937.56

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received from (a) the British Medical Journal, (b) GP networks, (c) Monitor and (d) other organisations on conflicts of interest in the commissioning of services by clinical commissioning groups.

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS guidance to clinical commissioning groups on their responsibility to manage conflicts of interest when commissioning and providing services.

George Freeman: NHS England updated existing guidance for managing conflicts of interest in December 2014, when NHS England issued revised statutory guidance, which prescribed stronger assurance measures in light of the development of primary care co-commissioning. This came into force from April 2015. In light of comments from stakeholders and the recent National Audit Office report “Managing conflicts of interest in NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups”, as well as findings from the audit of the management of conflict of interest that was undertaken in the autumn by NHS England’s internal auditors, NHS England is in the process of further updating this statutory guidance. NHS England has engaged with NHS Clinical Commissioners in respect of conflicts of interest in the commissioning of services by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to positive effect. It has also engaged with around 80% of the Audit chairs for the CCGs- the feedback and discussion received on behalf of both these groups will feed into the Revised Statutory Guidance which will be published and discussed at the next NHS England board meeting on 31 March. This will launch the official public consultation (which will also take into consideration views from British Medical Journal and Monitor). The final guidance will then be presented to the May NHS England board meeting and will be published on the NHS England website.

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has made an assessment of the proportion of GPs on the executive bodies of clinical commissioning groups who have a financial interest in the services they are commissioning.

George Freeman: The National Audit Office recently estimated that in 2014-15 there were 3,150 governing body members in total across the clinical commissioning group (CCG) sector. Of these, 1,300 (41%) were also general practitioners, who make decisions about local health services and may potentially be paid by their CCG for providing these services. It is expected that all CCGs should follow the published guidance on managing conflicts of interest.

NHS: Drugs

Edward Argar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the publication of the findings of the Accelerated Access Review.

George Freeman: Sir Hugh Taylor published his interim report to the review on 27 October 2015. The review will conclude with Sir Hugh’s final recommendations to Government which are expected in spring 2016.

Human Embryo Experiments

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has had discussions with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority after its authorisation of a licence for gene editing of human embryos by means of CRISPR-Cas9 on the process of ethical approval being granted for such a licence.

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that information given to patients or donors explaining research to which they have consented on genome editing in human embryos by means of CRISPR-Cas9 will be publicly available.

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the guidance is on licences applied for to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority being granted before receiving ethical approval; and what proportion of such licences have been so granted in each of the last three years.

George Freeman: The Department has not had any discussions with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) after its authorisation of a licence for gene editing of human embryos by means of CRISPR-Cas9 about the process of ethical approval being granted for such a licence. The Francis Crick Institute, which made the licence application to the HFEA, is intending to place copies of the information given to patients or donors explaining this research on its website, once the final draft has been agreed. There is no statutory requirement for ethical approval to be in place before an HFEA research licence can be granted. However, the HFEA has developed guidance for its licensing committee that such approval should be in place before a licence is granted and research is allowed to proceed. In 2012, none of the three licences granted had ethical approval in place and a condition was therefore placed on each licence that licensed research could not proceed until such approval was in place. In 2013, five research licences were granted, all of which had ethical approval in place. In 2014, seven licences were granted, all of which had ethical approval in place. In 2015, one of the 15 licences granted did not have ethical approval in place and a condition was therefore placed on the licence that licensed research could not proceed until such approval was in place.

Department of Health: Publications

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what public information leaflets and literature have been published by (a) his Department and (b) NHS England on mental health.

Alistair Burt: The Department has published a number of information leaflets and other literature, as have NHS England. These documents are available on the Government and NHS England websites: https://www.gov.uk/search?q=mental+health and https://www.england.nhs.uk/?s=mental+health

Mental Health Services: Ethnic Groups

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in how many areas the NHS provides mental health services that are targeted at black men; and what types of service provision are so targeted.

Alistair Burt: The information is not held centrally. We are committed to ensuring fair and equitable mental health care services for all, which includes all black and minority ethnic (BME) communities. NHS England published The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health report by the independent Mental Health Taskforce last month, which clearly outlines action to be taken nationally, regionally, and locally to help improve mental health services for BME communities in England.

Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) LGBT and (b) BAME communities are represented in literature relating to (i) sexual and (ii) mental health.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that sexual health advice services signpost to mental health advice services.

Jane Ellison: It is a matter for commissioners to assess how best to target specific communities within their populations based upon consideration of the cultural diversity and make up and their responsibilities to have regard to equality under the Equality Act 2010 and the need to reduce health inequalities under the NHS Act 2006 as applicable. Public Health England has produced an action plan that promotes the health and wellbeing of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and recognises the interrelationship between sexual and mental health. The action plan is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/401005/PHEMSMActionPlan.pdf In July 2014, the Joint Commissioning Panel for Mental Health published guidance for commissioners of mental health services for those from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities which is available at: http://www.jcpmh.info/wp-content/uploads/jcpmh-bme-guide.pdf The Department has been working with NHS England and commissioners to disseminate this guidance which describes what ‘good’ mental health services for people from BME communities look like. The Joint Commissioning Panel also provides guidance on public mental health which highlights taking account of people at higher risk of mental health problems in their commissioning strategies, which includes people from LGBT communities: http://www.jcpmh.info/good-services/public-mental-health-services/

Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people of each (a) gender and (b) ethnicity were sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983 in each of the last five years.

Alistair Burt: The information requested is not available between 2010/11 and 2013/14 as comparable data was not collected during these years due to changes in the way the data was categorised and collected and variations in the number of organisations which reported in some years. Data for 2014/15 are provided in the table below. Number of detentions and short term orders under the Mental Health Act 1983 by gender and ethnic group: 2014/15 DetentionsShort-term ordersDetentions and Orders41,59219,648  Male22,01610,651Female19,5668,989  White30,32214,954Mixed938444Asian or Asian British2,714924Black or Black British4,3681,438Other Ethnic Groups1,219531 Source: Mental Health Minimum Data Set/Mental Health & Learning Disabilities Data Set 2014/15  Notes:The numbers in this table represent the number of uses of the Mental Health Act 1983, not the number of individuals who were subject to the Act.Mental Health Minimum Data Set (MHMDS) is not the official data source for statistics about uses of the Mental Health Act 1983 but it is the only one that provides national information about gender and ethnic group. The MHMDS are known to under represent uses of the Mental Health Act 1983.The data source for official statistics about uses of the Mental Health Act 1983 is the KP90 collection, with figures published in the annual statistical release: Inpatients Formally Detained in Hospitals Under the Mental Health Act 1983 and Patients Subject to Supervised Community Treatment, England. Therefore, the data in the table may differ from data in the official published statistics.Counts by ethnicity and gender may not sum exactly to the overall total because for some people this information was invalid or not recorded.Detentions includes: detentions under Part ll, detentions under Part lll, detentions under previous legislation (Fifth Schedule) and other Acts, detentions subsequent to admission, detentions following use of a Place of Safety Order and detentions following revocation of a Community Treatment Order.Short-term orders are defined as those of no greater than 72 hours' duration and involving uses of sections 4 and 5 and sections 135 and 136.

Pharmacy: Greater London

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much central Government funding has been allocated to how many community pharmacies in (a) London and (b) Hampstead and Kilburn constituency in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16; and what proportion of the total revenue of community pharmacies that funding represents.

Alistair Burt: No central Government funding has been allocated to community pharmacies either in London or the Hampstead and Kilburn constituency. NHS pharmaceutical services are commissioned by NHS England, which funds service fees and allowances. Public health services, including from community pharmacies, are commissioned and funded by local authorities. Community pharmacies can derive revenue from a range of sources, including from the National Health Service, non-NHS and local authorities. The total revenue of community pharmacies is not held centrally.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the extent of high consumption of alcohol by men in the UK relative to such consumption in other EU states.

Jane Ellison: The Department does not hold this information. The only international data on alcohol consumption per head can be found in the World Health Organization (WHO), Global status report on alcohol and health 2014 and the levels of consumption section in the WHO Global Information System on Alcohol and Health at: http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/global_alcohol_report/en/ and http://apps.who.int/gho/data/?showonly=GISAH&theme=main-euro

*No heading*

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the evidential basis for new guidelines on alcohol limits in respect of proposed metabolisation of alcohol by men and women.

Jane Ellison: The Government asked Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), to oversee a review of the alcohol guidelines, to ensure these are founded on the best science and so that the guidelines help people at all stages of life to make informed choices about their drinking. The Guidelines Development Group considered questions of individual variation, of which one issue is variations in the rates at which individuals metabolise alcohol. Their advice is clear that the weekly guideline is advice for the general population, which individuals need to consider in the light of their own individual characteristics. A “List of supporting evidence” on the consultation page (where all the documents, such as the reports and evidence papers are listed) can be downloaded at: https://app.box.com/s/wlludrmim3gd83r28c4oqb3upj68cqia

Mental Health Services: Training

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which local authorities will host Think Ahead graduate trainees on placement; and whether he has plans to expand that programme.

Alistair Burt: Arrangements are being finalised for the local authorities and National Health Service mental health trusts that will host Think Ahead participants and these partnerships will be announced in due course. Participants in Think Ahead’s first cohort are due to be based in the following regions: Yorkshire, the North East, the Midlands, London, and the South East. The Department will make a decision on the future of the programme once an evaluation of the first cohort has been undertaken.

Nabiximols

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2016 to Question 28215, what the implications for the availability of Sativex to Multiple Sclerosis patients are of the NICE guidance that Sativex is not recommended as a treatment option.

George Freeman: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) clinical guideline on the management of multiple sclerosis, published in October 2014, does not recommend Sativex as a cost effective use of National Health Service resources. In the absence of positive guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund this treatment based on an assessment of the available evidence.

Women and Equalities

Physics: GCE A-level

Ben Howlett: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what proportion of girls in (a) state and (b) private schools took physics A-level in 2015.

Nick Gibb: Information on the proportion of girls who took A level physics in state-funded schools in 2014/15 is published as part of the “A level and other level 3 results: 2014 to 2015 (revised)” statistical first release.[1] In independent schools[2] 9.3% of girls took A level physics in 2014/15.[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/a-level-and-other-level-3-results-2014-to-2015-revised (Document titled: Maths and science tables; Tab titled: Table 18)[2] Excludes independent special schools and non-maintained special schools.